How they SCREWED US and why we may GO TO COURT IN MEXICO

During our home rental process in Mexico we had to hire a lawyer and now we might be going to court. This is our story.
In our hunt for a new house in Queretaro, Mexico, we had an unfortunate experience where we began to do business with some people who aren't who they seemed at first.
In this video I'm telling you the story of how they screwed us over and why we had to hire a lawyer to try to solve the situation.
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ABOUT ME
I'm Jordan, an American living in Mexico with my Husky, Laska. In January of 2018 I left the US to start traveling Mexico. Since then, I've been making travel videos about my life in Mexico, travel tips, Las Vegas tips videos, and advice for those considering moving abroad.
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#TangerineTravels #Mexico #RealEstate

[@TangerineTravels]

Based on the comments, there seems to be a common misunderstanding in this video. For clarity, the ONLY form that we ever signed with these guys was the one that said we were putting down 1 months rent as a REFUNDABLE deposit. They signed that paper too. There are comments saying we're screwed because we signed. But it's actually the opposite. They owe us that money because they signed that paper and we requested our money back.

[@mmmmmm8606]

Jordan, In LatinAmerica whether you are buying a car or a house you have to be confident and assertive. You have the money, you make the demands. You don’t like it get lost. There is a lot of scammers. Never be scared to be firm and even mean. It’s your money and the only that needs to end up happy is you. Mexicans specially are all about the hustle. They are good. Wise up! You should have taken them to court and collect damages. For the future befriend the locals so they can lead you. Most of the stuff that they asked most people won’t oblige or comply. Don’t let these scammers take advantage of you just cause you are a lost gring@ in Queretaro. It’s like Cancun they only see dollars signs not a person.

[@globetrotting2628]

Wow, their review section on Google certainly took a nosedive. Thanks for the warning, I won't ever be using their services, and neither will anyone I personally know because I'm sharing your story as I write this.

[@lopnc1]

Refundable deposit seems like an oxymoron.

[@thecjlife7682]

Make sure to keep copies of everything. I'm not sure how legal it is to voice record over there without them knowing. Best of luck hopefully you guys get your money ASAP.

[@MissionaryInMexico]

​@@thecjlife7682I have 34 years in Mexico, recording every call. 100% legal in all 32 states. I also record all conversations in person or on phone with landlords, bankers, CFE, water company, lawyers, everything.

[@RDAnys]

As a retired Architect living in Mexico 15 years, I've been involved in court cases regarding real estate matters. 1) You don't "go to court". Neither does the defendant, in this case the real estate agents. Your lawyer submits his filling documents, and the real estate agent's lawyers submit theirs. The judge considers both documents (in his private chambers with no one present) and issues a ruling. Neither side ever sees a courtroom or the judge. That brings up very important point #2. 2) Very often the judge will require additional documents or evidence be submitted before he/she makes a ruling. The problem is, neither side knows when the judge is reviewing the case, and if additional documents need to be submitted. The only solution to this is the lawyers hire what is best described as a 'watcher' who visits the court offices every day to see if the case is on the docket, and if additional documents need be submitted. These document requests aren't published or announced, (only showing up on the court clerk's ledger) and no notices are issued by the court to the lawyers offices. It requires physical monitoring in the court offices (again, not a 'courtroom'; basically the clerical offices of the judge). I have lost cases because the lawyers didn't station someone at the court offices, and the judge issued a demand for more information. Not having submitted what he requested resulted in him throwing out my case. I only learned of that when I received a notice in the mail a month later. Make sure someone is monitoring the court clerk's ledger/office. EVERY DAY!

[@jotsandtittles]

Speaking as an American attorney, this process seems bizarre, and confirms that you can't ever make assumptions about how things are done or should be done. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@Golden.5555]

I thought you bought a house

[@juliamccarthy6695]

@@jotsandtittlesyou are right! This is the reason I decided not to retire in Mexico, the legal system is a disaster that you can’t trust at all, and I know this very well because I am mexican!

[@globetrotting2628]

Thanks for sharing, and this is the reason I avoid Mexico at all costs. I'd rather vacation in Hawaii, Malibu, or anywhere else that has a good legal system in place. It's just not worth the headache to take a risk when so many people are mistreated south of the boarder. I'm not saying all Mexicans are bad people, the majority are good, but the bad are really bad and the legal system allows them to take advantage.

[@finneganpupsavedbythebell]

Everyone im mexico needs their cut,court watchers ffs

[@MonterreyLiving]

I recommend that next time you hire an international brand realty company like Century 21 or KW and etc. They are way more professional and actually follow rules set by the consumer protection agency in Mexico. And if you file a complaint all the way to HQ in CDMX then the realty company will do its best to fix the problem because they MAY lose their licensing from the brand. My wife is a realtor with Century 21 in Monterrey and she handle rents and she hardly ever ask for a guarantor, the C21 office only works with the insurance policy.

[@kevinthec]

This is really good information to know. Thanks for commenting, @MonterreyLiving 😊

[@mgtowmonger2729]

Actually profeco is where they should also go... smear the name of this company through profeco if they refuse to refund in full and in a timely manner in agreement with the contract. profeco now actually has teeth, it didn't years ago!

[@sergioromanomunoz8155]

Yeah, there's a lot of people like that here in Mexico. People aren't used to hire lawyers and don't know anything about laws, so these bullies often get away with it.

[@Davia12V]

I’m sorry you went through all that, but you were brave and defended yourself effectively 🙌🏼💪🏼

[@reswofford]

Never sign a contract that you do not agree with or intend to execute.

[@emilybh6255]

I experienced the same thing when I was in my late 20s being stupid enough to put down a full deposit for a house I thought wanted to buy when I signed the purchase and sale agreement, which of course SAYS that if the building inspection isn't satisfactory you get your deposit back if you request it IN WRITING within 24 hours of the inspection - which I did. The inspection showed that the sellers misrepresented the wiring of the house and more. I asked for the deposit back in writing and the seller's agent who had it in escrow refused to return it. A year later they were able to sell the house for more than what I was going to pay for it so they suffered no damages. AT that time, they had the nerve to ask for part of it because they wanted to set up an IRA for themselves. (Imagine that!) They maintained they were damaged because they lost their opportunity to buy their dream house. I refused their request because I wa naive enough to think that eventually a judge who wanted to do the right thing would decide in my favor. This experience taught me that like the saying goes, "Possession is 9/10 of the Law." The seller's agent/listing agent was holding the deposit so they were in control of what happened to it. I also learned that you should never put down more money than you can afford to lose. Ever since then I make sure to NEVER put down anything substantial until after the building inspection is fully completed because you never know what kind of ethics a seller might have - or a realtor or attorney for that matter. It all shows that these contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on. In fact all this angered me so much, I researched the RI rules and regulations at the time and they even said that whoever was holding the deposit was the decider of whether or not the provisions of the contract would apply! How is that for misleading the public? I called into every radio real estate show I heard every time the host who was always encouraging buyers to go out and buy a home was saying "... don't to be afraid of losing your deposit because you are protected by provisions in the contract." HA! What a lie that turned out to be! I LOVED exposing that big fat lie that in fact the truth was that whoever was holding the deposit would decide what happened to it. Anyway, my real estate agent told me to get an attorney and that law firm just dragged everything out for over 7 years! Finally RI started to settle real estate disputes using arbitration and the judge that "settled" this dispute decided it would be "fair" to give half the deposit to the sellers and half to me, 1/3 of which I had to pay the incompetent lawyer. All along the agent said I'd be "protected" by that clause in the agreement. I was working with a supposedly EXTREMELY REPUTABLE agency (who happened to be a Southeby's agent) in Rhode Island. Also, we have to remember, the agents all work for the seller or landlord unless you have a buyer's agent. So their allegiance is to them - not you the prospective buyer/tenant. I hope your and May's experience works out better than mine did!

[@JM-vh7oc]

All true what you said. Actually pretty rare to get the deposit money back without a hassle.

[@amstergal]

What a nightmare. It makes me want to live in a tent, (my own, haha), and not deal with all the shady people in our world, sadly they exist. I learned a lot from your post, thank you. (edited for typo)

[@lamarandangela]

WOW!! Jordan! That's CRAZY! I would be curious about when all of this went down because WE LOOKED AT THAT SAME HOUSE by those realtors!!! OMG!! 😲Lovely house, but there were aspects that didn't work for our family, so ultimately, we passed but it seems like we were both looking at that house around the same time! I hope they weren't showing US the house at the same time as keeping your deposit to HOLD the house off the market! HMMPH!! 😖Also, they told us that the space that you guys were going to use for May's office, had recently been flooded and needed serious repair! That was one of the reasons we passed on it too, because we wanted to use that additional space for our hobbies/home office. But your story is CRAAAAZY! They didn't mention anything about requiring a fiador for us and we were CLEAR we would be using a poliza juridica. YIKES!! We are now moving forward with a different home that works better for our family and fingers crossed that everything remains reputable. Good luck to you and May with your new home!

[@TangerineTravels]

Wow that’s crazy! It sounds to me like you saw the house after we gave the apartado (the deposit to hold the house) because that room didn’t have damage at the time that we saw it. There were a couple days of heavy rains after paying the deposit and we stopped by the house after one of the heavy rains and I thought I could hear what sounded like a water pump running inside the gates. Can you please send an email to [e-mail] I’d love to see if we can figure out what dates all of this happened

[@randywilliams4325]

The house probably never gets rented . They probably run that scam on many people at the same time .

[@mexicanspec]

Don't ever put a deposit down to hold a house. You pay what the contract says. If you lose the house, you weren't meant to have it. Do not pay up front for anything in Mexico, EVER.

[@phillipsjuan3871]

so what are you supposed to do? Month to month always?

[@victorflores6349]

@@phillipsjuan3871 i think he's saying that the deposit 'to hold' the house is not in the lease-contract. that the lease-contract is for the rental, period. for example it may say....one month 'security deposit', and pay on the first of the month for 12 months.... and that the 'deposit to hold' the house is something else... just saying "i am interested in renting this house...really interested...dont offer it to anybody else...here's some money...which i may get back if the deal collapses...or if the deal goes ahead, then it can be used towards my 'security deposit' thats mentioned in the lease-contract'..... could be wrong but thats what i think

[@scotttiffee9113]

@@phillipsjuan3871 In this market, thru 2025- 2030: Preferably "lease... with an option, to purchase." Month, to month is only good the first 3- 12 months. Then the ONLY way to keep away from the mutual "30 days notice," is doing on e of the things I specialize in, if and when the potential seller, is receptive? (Al beit not (yet) as 'common,' in Mexico, as the US and Canada, etc. I don't do anything else... aside from seller financing. No straight leases, and no BANKS! ;-)

[@jules720]

​@@Vilcabamba_RE_DisclosuresMexico is north America

[@happycarrot8166]

​@@Vilcabamba_RE_Disclosuresuse complete sentences buddy lol

[@origamighost]

Thanks for sharing your issues with the shady realtors. You make the world a better place by sharing your troubles in life. Life will always bring you Ls (losses) you just need to keep stackin' your Ws (wins) to show us all how to make life worth it.

[@mexicanspec]

Doesn't Mayra have any big relatives that could have gone with you? You never do things alone. At the very least you need a witness especially if you are on their home turf.

[@mgtowmonger2729]

They're moving at the worst time possible if everyone else is looking for housing... and her family works so getting someone to get time to go and move quickly is probably impossible. Some friends of mine are in the same situation in guadalajara right now. They go to see a house and there are 10 other families going to see the same house. They saw a good listing the other day and had an appointment but got to it late because of traffic. The person for the next appointment got there early and got to see the place and jumped on it and got it before them... Rainy season is the worst time to pick to move... such things should be done in Nov, Dec., Jan Feb... even with the extra difficulties of things slowing down during the holiday season.

[@michaelcarlin6049]

In Merida what happened to me was they would show me a house. I would tell them I want to take the house and then they would tell me so it's already rented. This happened 6 times in a month. I finally said screw it and I got the hell out of there. I'm now looking for a place in Comala. I mean seriously I'm tired of jumping around from Airbnb to Airbnb and then being screwed around on those too because they're not as advertised.

[@GSIP69]

Did you find that place you were looking for in Comala? I'm currently looking for a place in Colima. Any advice?

[@BrianAlt]

Being called immature and a child, I would have said that I won't stand here and be insulted and just left while saying, you'll hear from my lawyer. Although the language barrier makes that a little more difficult. Hope it gets fully resolved.

[@TangerineTravels]

That's basically what I did too. After a couple minutes of them repeatedly asking how old I just said that I'm not here to argue and here's the contact of my lawyer.

[@DrAJ_LatinAmerica]

I would have sent him photos of his home, his wife, his children and his mother. Just photos to show how wonderful life can be,....or how in a blink of an eye it is all gone and the government takes it all away.

[@goododays1812]

Scammy, shady agents. Good on u standing your ground not signing bad contracts. Know your rights.

[@TheSkatereel]

I Believe this will continue to be a growing problem for foreigners in Mexico. It’s sad but the amount of paperwork and legality for basic rentals is insane and just puts you off.

[@travelexplorer]

I think is not just for foreigners this happens to us Mexicans too

[@anna_m59]

@@travelexplorer correct many Hispanics reports they same issue.

[@johnramsey2782]

It is insane here. The laws are complex and Byzantine. I couldn't believe it when I first rented a house here.

[@mariaarroyos2925]

They take advantage of people who are not from Mexico. You can't trust lawyers either because they're crooks. Mexico is corrupt, be careful.

[@vvaltierra5556]

Its even worst almost everywhere… at least in the US, Canada and Spain os terrible… so much more than it is in Mexico…

[@ausflygirl3430]

This is truly awful! Thank you for sharing this - ugly manipulation, aggressive bullying and dishonesty. Don't wait - file.

[@mschuiming]

Well done, Jordan and May. Great info too. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@elliotthall5543]

I think a reasonable idea, especially for Ex-Pats might be to go ahead and hire a lawyer before yo begin your hunt and keep them on a retainer until you are in a new place. It is a bit of a preemptive deterent.

[@pkchavis5323]

Good information. I went through a similar thing in Puerto Vallarta. A good lawyer got my money back. I don't know what he said to the realtors but he got our deposit back and got us out of a lease.

[@johnori6740]

You have a large audience. Say the name of the real estate agent so you might save others a similar experience.

[@TangerineTravels]

The name of the company is in the video and I believe it's just 2 guys in the whole company. It's Solo Rentals and their office is in Jurica

[@TangerineTravels]

With these kind of practices, I have a feeling that they won't be in business long

[@tn18977]

@@TangerineTravels And now you have some shady enemies in Mexico whose business you helped destroy. They say friends come and go, but enemies are for life. You're very naive not to account for the possibility of retaliation on their part at some point in the future.

[@davebacon6194]

Lots of good info in this vlog, the best probably being work with reputable people!

[@jennyhammond9261]

On the bright side, you got content out of it. Sorry you're going through this!

[@thealternativecontrarian9936]

"Our country is not as good as yours but we aren't bad either." I got a good chuckle from that!

[@TangerineTravels]

I thought that was weird because I never brought up the US at all. Only them.

[@daviddurango9562]

Certainly not the easiest experience to share. Thanks for doing so along with your self critique from 20/20 hindsight. It's great to hear the good things about life in Mexico, but this story is where the rubber hits the road. High value. Thanks.

[@NomadicRVLiving]

I rented from a Gringo and it was very easy, a simple lease, and in US dollars. He lives in a house next door. I have been a landlord before so I knew what questions to ask. Not saying it is more sketchy renting from a local, but it made the process so much easier.

[@alexjavalerajr6534]

Gringos in Mexico doing business 😂

[@dissidentfairy4264]

Stressful. I'm glad it was sort of resolved. The place was so nice it must have have cost a fortune per month to rent. In a way, I'm surprised you wanted out of the deal. The place you finally settled on must be really nice:-) 🧚‍♀

[@scottcrumbaker7156]

One of the best and most helpful videos you have done! Anyone who has lived in Mexico most likely has gone through a similar experience.....I have! And to be clear, this is not something that happens to just foreigners, it happens to everyone including Mexicans. Great lesson and advice to be shared with everyone. I could write a book about how many times I have been screwed here in Mexico, but as I tell all my friends, you take the good with the bad....and I feel (believe) there is way more good here than bad. Thank again Jordan...great video!

[@mexicanspec]

I have had people say the same thing to me like things are done differently in this country. I told them no, they aren't. Do what is right or we will go to the next step.

[@MrAlonso556]

Wow, you really are dealing with a dishonest guy, you did good hiring an attorney, I'm Mexican and I hate, I really hate, this kind of people, and I am happy that made this video, that way your are helping a lot of people, my best wishes for you friend....

[@anna_m59]

Good for you calling out scammers in Mexico! They are lot. My biggest stress in Mexico is always how I protect myself from scammers.

[@MaryBartnikowski]

You handled it well - bravo!

[@Goldfinger555]

Kudos to you and May for not succumbing to their bullying tactics! Can’t wait to see the house you ended up with.

[@TarotMuriel]

I sense y’all moving back to the States

[@aideblaker2430]

We are coming to Queretaro in December, we hope to visit all the nearby areas..

[@swhunter13]

Actually what happened is common. My wife's friend had the same thing happen. Turns out the one of the realtors (him n a friend) . Bought the house and tried selling it as someone from out of town owned it. And they were trying to,sell it to highest bidder while keeping deposits,of possible buyers/renters. Refused to give money back and said wife's friend had to pay for owners plane ticket if they wanted the money back. But only partial payment. Cause the partner up n disappeared keeping the deposit. In the end , the girl contacted my wife of the problem.. Since she is lawyer she informed her friend what laws they are violating. And her friend repeated what she said and was able to get the money back. Since realtors didn't want the police involved nor go to court.

[@qhew]

you’re just renting a house, not buying one. you don’t need all this stress & “change of position baseline” by this agent. it obviously meant a lot for this agent to rent that lovely house to you in the eyes of the owner. you liked the house & your pulling out (your legal right) caused him to lose face (& money) . the agent was determined to punish you for changing your position on proceeding. seems government imposed default contract conditions don’t exist much in Mexico & everything needs to be negotiated, put in writing & signed. You would have been better dealing direct with the owner landlord who sounded more reasonable than the crazy unhelpful agent. of course wasn’t possible in your case. obviously the agent is working for the owner, not you the renter. probably first time he struck someone as well informed & intelligent as you, AND his resorting to bullying (implying you’re “acting like a child”) wasn’t working. using a lawyer is just the cost of doing business with this bad agent. luck lawyer comes at reasonable cost there. just get most/all of the deposit back & move on. the next agent you deal with will unlikely be as bad. just a one-off case one has to deal with doing business. great Mae was such help in process.

[@MissionaryInMexico]

You need someone like me to go visit them. In 3 minutes, I will come out with all your cash refund in my hand and they will thank me for coming. Courts are slow (up to 10 years in most cases), tedious (visit every day), not fair, and *always* corrupted. No violence. I use my attorney who will immediately do an embargo on them for the same amount of the debt, plus fees (which the fees alone can be twice what the debt to you is) and we can legally take everything in their office. They have until the police walk in to escort them outside to pay you, so the moving crew can take all the belongings in the office to the waiting trucks. The second that the police come inside, you are done with it. Then they're stuck with everything including storage fees, security fees, everything. When they pay up, it will cost them more than 10 times what they owe you. Ive had to do this 3 times in 34 years in Mexico. I always get called a bastard for doing it because I'm "supposed to be a Christian" and "not supposed to be mean." I say "You're not supposed to be a thief. Im just keeping you honest. Im doing you a favor." Don't sue them. Do an embargo. Edited for grammar.

[@TangerineTravels]

This is the first I’ve heard of this. Are you in Querétaro?

[@MissionaryInMexico]

@@TangerineTravels im in SMA. I can get you my lawyer's number if you want. Last time he went to bat for me was a crooked guy selling lots of land 15x30 and I bought 4 connected lots. Turns out he didn't have escritura and Covid had just hit. The old woman who did own the land was at risk of dying from Covid because of her age. My wife and I talked with our attorney and he went in WITH us to the guy's office to tell him to repay us our deposits for the 4 lots, our 30x60 parcel. The guy got scared and said "You did an embargo on me before, here's your money. Handed it to the lawyer, we walked downstairs, he handed us all but $1,000 pesos for his time.

[@jontris6118]

MISSIONARYINMEXICO: PLS POST MORE HELPFUL STUFF.

[@jontris6118]

JORDAN, ENBARGO Options seems like a great idea. Btw, Even CROOKED and SCAM grifter TRUMP was SCAMMED in MEXICO. BAJA CALIFORNIA HOTEL/LAND DEAL. TRUMP LOST MILLIONS. 1 REASON TRUMP HATES Hispanics

[@misterbridge]

You describe a very common behavior from service providers in Mexico. They simply don’t know the law and from the voiceover of the realtor he clearly didn’t even make it to college. He states some facts that are incorrect such as “nobody in this country ever works for fee”, suggesting you would need to pay a price for the time he invested. Also he puts emphasis on your country of origin and youth as if that meant he knew better, when in fact he is clearly the uneducated one. In both the US and Mexico sales people are compensated when they close the sale. Any sale not closed is part of the funnel, and has no financial consequence for the requestor. In Mexico a lot of people apply their “own law”, meaning that opportunistically they would want to get money here and there, but again: that comes from ignorance. He’s not entitled to any payment because the business was not completed. On your lawyer - different to the US where attorneys in fact go to postgrad school and pass bar certifications, in Mexico the qualification is granted without bar and only through a Bachelors. In fact, the majority of awarded bachelor degrees in Mexico are for attorneys, so make sure you have a good one. I wouldn’t conclude you got part of your money back because of any legal proceedings he did but because being clearly uneducated your realtors got scared and wanted to make peace, yet unilaterally making an excuse to still charge you a small fee. Truly not knowing who your attorney is, my advice is that you do basic math and choose a path forward. If he charged 3K for a few hours of consulting, an actual court case will be at least 5x that cost. The timeline could be terribly long. Not all courts are as diligent in covering all process costs. Hence you may end of losing money even if you win and get the money back. If you go take them to court and they lawyer up, and they get one with the right “connections” you may even lose and end up paying some money (this is of course the worst scenario, but believe me - be ready for that just in the case they would know the right people). I know this is all frustrating my friend. As a Mexican who has EU citizenship and lives for years here in the US I can understand both sides of the story. Theirs comes from ignorance, truly, and from a rotten way of working and making business there. Yours comes from experiencing better business practices up north where people just act right as the actual legal consequences for not doing that would be super serious, so most people won’t even take a risk. Just know that regardless of what the lawyer says, as a foreign you want to avoid being in a court case at all cost. Even if you were going to win, the administrative burden you could experience is nothing your worst nightmare would depict. So if I was you, use the attorney once again to put pressure to get the final part back, but if it doesn’t work, forget about it and avoid court at all costs.

[@GSIP69]

Do they have small claims court in Mexico?

[@jackson32]

Great video Jordon. It's interesting that the Mexican's can be 'sneaky' just like anyone else. I see the Mexicans overall as very nice, genuine people - but I guess there's some bad eggs here in Mexico too! Can you or Maya give some advice, of how can we know when a Mexican keeps agreeing with us and saying the word 'yes', when does 'yes' mean no here? My hubby and I have wasted so much time thinking someone is thinking one way, when they are really thinking the opposite. Any tips to highlight when they are just giving you 'lip service'?

[@babs1913]

Renting in Querétaro is a nightmare, the whole "guarantor" thing is too much. The worst part for us was the agent wanting the deposit in cash and the landlord wanting the rent to be paid in cash. Like no hunny I aint walking around with cash 😂

[@Grandpa_RLP]

I wonder if recording conversations on the phone would be a good move as well.

[@JuanNunez-qo6ii]

I dont really trust most of real estate agentes but definitely i will not go with an unknown firm. With a wellknown company there are more chances to get the job done.

[@lisaknudsonlcsw3730]

I wonder if you didn't fill out the guarantor form, if this wouldn't have been an issue to receive your deposit back.

[@kennytrujillo5535]

so not signin the form until the contract is reviewed is reccomended?

[@lrheimpel]

Most people will not do it, but you should take a lawyers with you and have him review any document you need to sign.

[@JSSCA-lk7hl]

I think once they got the deposit you guys guys were good. You were going to proceed with the process no matter what u had to do. We just bought a house last year in Cincinnati, Ohio and the realtors are super nice, I can’t believe those guys would yell at May on the phone or be so rude to a client! Do the realtors keep your deposit there?

[@dianam4345]

Whats the name of the agency so other people wont fall into the same scam ?

[@patriciadiaz5622]

Wow Jordan that house was amazing! Sorry you two had to go thru that ordeal tho. We are looking to rent there and moving from HOT & HUMID PM so this was very informative for us! Muchas Gracias

[@mexicanspec]

When I got stopped for a traffic ticket, that was for a ridiculous reason, after explaining why it was ridiculous the officer said to me when I do something wrong I should take responsibility for it and not complain like a woman, in front of my wife. I did go down to his station to ask the head guy there about the law. I was in the intersection, past the limit line, and had to finish the left turn. The officer said I should have stopped and waited for the next green. To clarify, I asked him if I should have stopped half way through the intersection to wait for the next green, he said yes. I told him he was ridiculous. No ticket was given that night.

[@jackson32]

Also make sure in Mexico that you get the contract in english, even though the are supposed to be in spanish, check with a spanish speaker that the two documents say the same thing. My landlord said the contract is just a formality. Never believe this bs. In the contract, it said that all legal costs would be paid by me not matter what the dispute was about, so this gives them a reason to try and screw you out of your deposit as it is not even worth it to try and get it if you have to pay both sides legal fees. Most landlords are not ethical in my experience.

[@carlredmond3642]

Based on what you recount in your video, and what the comments say, would the best course of action to avoid problems when renting property to have an lawyer review and advise on all stages of the process....especially documents to be signed and the process bring followed by the real estate agents...especially since the lawyer fees are relatively small

[@ShowseeTravels]

You’ve been there a long time. For this to be the 1st legal dispute speaks highly of Mexican culture in my opinion.

[@PugaMBA]

PROFECO is quite competente resolving those issues.

[@CathAlexandra]

Beautiful home!

[@jesss39]

as a mexican my self ill tell you what happend, this guys were really nice to you at the begining beacuse they wanted your deposit for their selfs. usally a deposits goes directly to the landlord. ones they got the deposit they probaly spent the money ones they got it. and wait until you deposit the first month to give as the deposit to the landlord so when you told them that you werent going foward with it they had to do anything for you to accept the contract because they probably were going to get in trouble with the landord aswell. so good on you for sticking to your guns and its better for you to double check before deciding to sign a contract

[@adriancampos3112]

16:59 wish it were me in your shoes to hit them with, “I’m accustomed to honoring contracts, and upholding your word, as a man, but that’s just me apparently.” They want to get smart with the age thing it’s time to strike egos.

[@chandie5298]

After watching this video, I would be interested in researching ways to find homes to rent without going through a realtor.....who seem to have their own objective above and beyond the objective of the home owner. There are probably standardized renters contracts that can be found online that can then be modified so that it works with any changes that the home owner and renter desire and agree to and then notaries or lawyers can validate the contract. I absolutely realize that I have no idea what I'm talking about and have no understanding of the systems in place at all.... just my thoughts to get rid of the middle-man and their ulterior motives that have nothing to do with the actual renting of property.

[@questionmark4348]

They sound just like Time Share salesmen and that's why I refuse to go to any presentations in Mexico, or anywhere else for that matter.

[@Oklasbrah]

Well you did fill out the paperwork no one “forced” you..

[@fernandoencinas8244]

He was well caffeinated due to the espresso he had at the local Starbucks and definitely felt the adrenaline rush.

[@PedroSchmidt-w8t]

Why of all foreigners Americans are the first complainers it really doesn't matter from what starting with minor incidents from food, being taken by cab drivers, English not spoken in restaurants, agreements you sign weren't valid and ext,ext. it all leads to Americans not learning the country language or speaking. The reason we Europeans hardly get into problems is we know the language and speak it ,while Americans live next door cant do it , I think they are being brought up with their silver plate to their mouths spoiled . There isn't one or 2 days in KZbin I see about Americans either complaining or involve in something. I meet them all over Mexico ,there's isn't one place in Mexico they aren't in. They seem Always looking for the best place for them self's even the eldery Americans own 2 small towns made into retirement towns a few speak spanish.Also they are always talking about business or any economic issue instead of enjoyment. Its the same in some places like my home town in Barcelona, Spain.

[@HellcatMad]

Huge property. Very nice

[@kathycalm]

I think they just had a few rentals becxause they used those to extort money from you and perhaps drive you into bankruptcy court. That house looked pretty stashed with extras that they could claim are worth more than the current market, once they get it out of being tied up in court proceedings..

[@ninjask8ter]

Ellos le chingaron! You should be their 1st review!

[@BN99239]

Why did you have to send them the security deposit money before even signing contracts? If it's truly a fact that they make anyone with an offer to send a security deposit, then that means they can sit on a bunch of money from a lot of buyers and give them back who knows when?

[@hottstarboi]

In the US there is sometimes a high 100$ application fee that is non returnable but all deposits should be returned if you say "No" on time.

[@marcobello5842]

3k pesos for hiring a lawyer is a good deal!

[@huertalapaz8359]

Great house can see why you liked it .

[@melisherwood5300]

I am curious what the lawyer’s fees cost you?

[@TangerineTravels]

$177 USD

[@milwaukeemotor5995]

how old are you jordan

[@rogsolaris7411]

Place is huge

[@royrice8021]

American win in a Mexican court? Good luck, you will need it! 😩

[@warclan5429]

a Real state agent is there to help you as client. If they are not helpful. you look for someone else. It is the same as in the US. do not give any deposit until you are 100% sure that you will sign the contract. Same as they do a background check with you, you also can do a background check on these agents. look for registered restate agencies like US franchise Century 21, etc. the agents were fully unprofessional., do a background check on these agents

[@karenhunter864]

Write off your losses kids. It’s not Civil like Court in America. You will spend years of your time, you will spend loads of money. I’ve seen this story play out more than once. Remember where you are and why you came here. Best wishes.

[@mscatnipper2359]

Being pressured verbally to fill out a document contrary to your will was the red flag. When words are contrary to what is in writing, run away. I'm sorry your trust in their ethics and professionalism was betrayed, and relieved you got most of your money back.

[@DoJoPe]

They are not realators they are realtors.

[@j.whisper2379]

Too good to be true!

[@pamelaingold5601]

I love this channel, but I would NEVER move to Mexico. Too many con games. They take advantage of the fact you are a foreigner and frankly, I wouldn't trust their lawyers either.

[@GhostdanceCalaveras]

How much was rent for this house? This is a massive place!

[@tommyvictorbuch6960]

My girlfriend's house in San Luis Potosí got stolen four years ago. After a long exhausting and expensive fight in court, she got it back, but all her things were gone. Her pictures, her memories, her furniture, her clothes - all gone. And it was a corrupt lawyer in the family, who did this to her. Best of luck.

[@mgtowmonger2729]

Those sort of problems get handled by the plaza... if you go to them and it's generally a lot cheaper (and much, much faster) than hiring attorneys.

[@johneblen9172]

I mean this constructively - you need to grow up. No one can force or make you sign anything. Sign something, it is on you and you are responsible.

[@TangerineTravels]

The only thing we signed was the form that said we were paying a deposit to hold the house and that it was fully refundable within 5 business days of receiving the contract. They signed it too.

[@deerichardz]

The fact that you called them out, and presented a lawyer, signals that they have done this before and most likely succeeded with those that didn't have any legal representation. Their name calling shows just how amateur their business really is. Good job!

[@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2]

Name calling shows a sign of narcissism. Professional well established organization can have those type of people from time to time.

[@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2]

@@marcelalopez311 #1 The lawyer told him to record. 100% following Mexican law. #2 He refused to give back the money UNTIL he learned lawyers where involved and was presented official legal papers to sign. #3 The official procedure had been followed already. TWICE. Seam like you did not watch the video at all, or you where very inattentive. Or, you recognize yourself in the behavior of the agents and went to their defense on this basis.

[@desings7614]

@@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2 You hit the nail on the head. As far as Marcela goes...A hit dog will holler. I hope he gets the rest of his money back without having to do a lawsuit but if so, so be it, so they can learn to stop swindling people.

[@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2]

@@desings7614 Those type of people it's in their blood/way of life. They will behave that way until they die. Just like Joe and Hunter Biden. Impossible to get the criminal out of the guy no matter what you do.

[@ThereIsAlwaysaWay2]

@@marcelalopez311 That is not what their contract was saying. Agents contract where you have an agent as an intermediary are VERY different from contract with the owner directly.

[@texaswader]

I guess I'll say it. I'm sorry that this happened but this is how things are done in Mexico. I've spent enough time there to know that it's not if you'll get screwed over, it's when. Hope everything works out for you totally.

[@viralsheddingzombie5324]

When someone sarcastically asks me how old I am, I say I am 90 but I look a lot younger.

[@Cwra1smith]

Why in the world two people need 5500 sq' is beyond me. The fact that missing even 1 months rent is a hardship should have been a red flag.

[@TangerineTravels]

It's not that it's needed but some of the features of these house were really useful considering our needs. Such as: 1. It has 2 detached buildings aside from the house, one of which would be used for May's physical therapy practice saving us 10,000 pesos a month in rent since she wouldn't need to rent an office 2. It has a spacious kitchen with a big island which would allow May to film her cooking videos 3. It has a big yard for the dogs to run around in 4. It has a room for my office 5. It has a room for my recording studio

[@Pixellava]

You go with your bad selves gettin’ whatever big ass house you want. Enjoy!

[@CassieDavis613]

@@TangerineTravels May cooks?

[@chandie5298]

@@TangerineTravels Cooking videos would be AMAZING!!

[@chandie5298]

@Cwra1smith because they want it. If you don't want 5500sqft then don't rent it. If others want it for whatever reasons then its their business. Or...should everyone submit their desires to you first to see if they pass your criteria?

[@clusterstudios]

Pro tip: don't appear desperate to get a property, be calm and don't sign anything you don't want to

[@castelsposhcloset7166]

They were completely unprofessional and rude. What does age have to do with this? You are an adult and a wise one at that. I bet they treat seniors poorly as well. They seem like top rated scammers. Thank you for the tips.

[@TangerineTravels]

Yes they were. Especially during the phone call with May

[@SuiGenerisAbbie]

@@TangerineTravelsYou are so fortunate to have May as your first rate Mate, and Translator. I cannot imagine doing what had to be done as a Foreigner not being entirely fluent in legal and real-estate Spanish which I reckon you must be if you are dealing with any realtors and attorneys in Mexico. You young people are so resilient!

[@mgtowmonger2729]

@@SuiGenerisAbbie Those of us 'expats' who forged the trail before are the first line of defense for other foreigners who are coming to live here in Mexico or other non-western countries. That's why there are expat forums all over the place and they should be consulted even if you have lived in a country for a while. I've helped a number of fellow westerners relocate to Mexico and directed them to personal friends who have rooms to rent or even a property to rent as well as to established expat websites / forums. Locals who have had boots on the ground for years are the ones to get to know and converse with online. Invite them out to a meal in person to ask more questions - you get more stories on a full stomach and a good drink in their hand. And those who see you are genuine and looking to find some peace in this crazy world will do what they can help you along. Be wary though - not every expat is going to have your best interests at heart. The good expats will also be a bit wary of newcomers to Mexico. They also do not want to expose their friends and contacts to people who may be unreliable or unfamiliar to a different culture. it's not hard to be burned by someone new even if they don't mean to but it can strain the friendships that people took a long time to develop with locals.

[@stevei2x]

I would never put a deposit down in that situation. I would only pay money when it was time to take possession. And, if possible, only deal with the owner.

[@collieflower3579]

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. There is nothing more stressful than legal/court situations. I'm glad you are moving forward with this.

[@Rosethorns7]

I'm a local in Queretaro and sadly this not just a thing among established real estate companies, individuals who rent their properties by themselves also always keep any security deposits you make and will make up any excuse to give you nothing, you might get lucky after a yelling match but personally I don't bother and just assume my security deposit is gone when I rent a new place.

[@paolo3349]

This is often true in the US and Canada as well.

[@houseofroos]

Seems extravagant for just 2 people

[@TangerineTravels]

It's really big, no doubt. But it fits our needs well for a few reasons: 1. Huge yard for the 3 dogs. 2. Two separate buildings that aren't attached the house, one of which May could use for her physical therapy practice saving us 10,000 pesos a month in rent 3. A room for my office 4. A room for a recording studio 5. Big spacious kitchen May can use to make cooking videos

[@douglasmlyn201]

For one, I wouldn't have filled out the form. Also, I try to chat on Whatsapp on any rental dealings, this way you can archive the chat and have a record of everything that was said. I don't know how much money it was but sometimes you have to pick your battles. I don't think it's worth the stress going through a law suit. I would have let it go. I don't know if the real estate co. has any social media presence but you could write a review or post your experience in their page.

[@ChrisD-wv5zi]

It's the short pants, amigo. Mexicans don't take grown men in shorts seriously.

[@thedeepend2949]

In mexico i dont sign the lease or give them any money until the day i move in. I never been scammed out of a deposit before. I just naturally don't trust people...

[@plainmom2]

Looks like you two have a bun in the oven 🤔😉 Congratulations!

[@checkeredflagfilms]

why would two people want/need a palatial space like I'm seeing here.

[@TangerineTravels]

It's not that that amount of space is needed but it would make our lives easier. Some of the things we liked: - It has two detached buildings aside from the house so May could use one of them as her physical therapy office so that would save us ~10,000 pesos a month - It has a big yard for our 3 dogs - It has a room that would be my office - It has another room that would be converted into a recording studio for shooting videos - And then in addition to those places, it has nice living spaces

[@freetheppl5376]

@@TangerineTravels It's a Beautiful home n fits everything you want! Good for you Jordan! Love your channel! Ill be watching n hello to May!! God bless 🙂

[@mexicanspec]

Future expansion.

[@njk901]

What a pain in the butt to have to go through all that stress and trouble. Sad to see that people do business that way!

[@user-vl9pp9uc7v]

Is it just me, or is this guy a bit of a whiner?

[@TangerineTravels]

It’s just you

[@user-vl9pp9uc7v]

@@TangerineTravels oh

[@Memento_Mori_x_x]

If you’re going to get married why not sign a lease together?

[@viralsheddingzombie5324]

There are plenty of real estate agents in the US who act this way. I would contact the National Association of Realtors to see if this agency is authorized to use the Realtor name.

[@mexicanspec]

Please don't say something like "I don't feel comfortable". You say "I don't think it is in my best interest to sign this". Feelings are not relevant in a business transaction.

[@GSIP69]

How would you translate that into Spanish? I think it's "No me conviene".

[@mexicanspec]

@@GSIP69 That sounds right. That means that is not right for me.