Retired Early in Ajijic Mexico

[@deedeew4040]

This woman is an angel. Sometimes, I feel mankind is doomed and a video like this appears that shows me differently. Annette, you are an angel and I commend you for all you do for mankind and dogkind.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Awww - thanks for this comment. This made my day 😊

[@AnnetteThompson]

Thanks so much Deedee!

[@siboneypeltier2307]

@@AnnetteThompson Angels and heroes dwell among us, and you are both; thank you for your compassion, dedication, and hard work, may our Creator God protect and provide for you and all you love. Cheers and happy Labor Day!

[@AnnetteThompson]

@@siboneypeltier2307thank you so much! ❤

[@siboneypeltier2307]

@@AnnetteThompson No! thank you!

[@blueskies00]

WHAT A WONDERFUL SELFLESS CARING LADY TAKING SUCH GOOD CARE OF OUR INNOCENT ANIMALS. I WISH WE HAD MORE PEOPLE LIKE HER ON THE EARTH. THANK YOU

[@user-wb2yv7ll9d]

What a beautiful person. Her kindness shines through so brightly. I'm grateful she's shared her story. I hope she gets volunteers for Bone Voyage, the work they do is amazing.❤

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks for your comment!

[@katwest6505]

Love her! She's obviously a sweetheart and is doing such great work with the street dogs. And I'm so happy that her husband fully recovered. Thanks for the great interview!

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks for watching Kat!

[@cindyk3076]

Annette is just fantastic! It is great that she allows the escorts for the rescue group to stay in her casita prior to traveling to another country. She not only cared for her husband as he healed from a brain injury, but her mom with Alzheimer's, her six children, but all of the dogs in the rescue! Annette, you have a wonderful heart and a loving and kind personality. Love these interviews, Brighton!

[@Oversoulse7en]

This lady is so full with life and positivity! Thanks for the video Mr West :D

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

You are so welcome - she really is great!

[@AnnetteThompson]

Thanks for your kind words!

[@valerienail-gi9yq]

I just moved to Ajijic with my two dogs. I am enjoying this video.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Congrats! You’re on a great place.

[@CamberHill]

She is a great storyteller. Her life is a true testament to the issues one might encounter when moving to a new country.

[@angelab4652]

This beautiful lady deserves a medal!

[@nicolasmaximus2286]

🥇💥💯🪙🍀A medal for her.Her we go.Thank you dear.🎉😂❤. Great video sir.Thank you.

[@missdragonflies81]

Hello Annette, as a woman born in Haiti and raised in America I say thank you for your huge loving heart towards kids and fur babies. Stay awesome & glad that Mike is doing well after his serious brain surgery : )

[@jackbaldwin3649]

Annette is a delight and it was so nice of her to share her life and the story of her husband's accident. It's a good reminder to be prepared. Please do more videos about insurance and issues with pre-existing conditions since so many (even early) retirees have at least one. Thank you so much Brighton!!

[@mohammedsharif2651]

Nice interview. She is such an interesting, positive and kind lady. Bravo and thank you BOTH. 👏👏👏😀❤️

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

I'm so happy to share these interviews. And I love having this channel as it opens doors for me to meet folks like Annette!

[@AnnetteThompson]

Thanks for your kind comment!

[@mohammedsharif2651]

@@AnnetteThompson you are most welcome, Annette. Cheers 🥂

[@lunazamoraart]

Her dog, enjoyed showing off his accommodations!

[@celestetibbs3100]

Wonderful interview and Annette is a very loving and kind person. Blessings to you and your family.

[@fredflinstone6097]

I am been blessed to know Annette. She is an amazing person. We have 2 street pups now and are sponsoring another because of her love and kindness for animals.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks for commenting - and for adopting some street dogs!

[@ginacardarella]

Bless this woman

[@1EQUALS-INFINITY]

Gorgeous home. I love it.

[@privatecaller1418]

OMG awesome angel. So cute so sweet so serving so pure hearted

[@gladysnajar2254]

I know Annette, she is a very giving person❤️

[@enriquegutierrez1902]

Señor West Keep on Trucking Brother Like always Great information God Bless this wonderful Lady!! Traveling Mercy’s Regards Enrique

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks Enrique!

[@cathy1944]

I’m really leaning towards moving to Mexico. It’s a very scary thought because of not knowing the language and the thought of the paperwork that would be involved. I’m 58 and my husband is 69. I’d really be planning this all by myself and it’s an overwhelming thought. Oh and I’m in love with the poodle. ❤

[@majortom8047]

My wife and I moved here nearly 6 years ago. I was 74. We did plenty of research and then came down. Then we made a 2nd trip down and bought a house. We didn't speak Spanish but now we have some, not too much, but enough to feel comfortable. English is spoken in many places in the Lake Chapala area.

[@cathy1944]

@majortom8047 prices are much higher now then when you purchased, correct?

[@Bobjenner1787]

I’d say move to a more touristy area so you can speak English when you want and slowly learn basic Spanish

[@privatecaller1418]

Learn conversation. Get lawyer there. Cheep. Smart.

[@user-bg9em7ch6k]

I never thought I would say this, but I’ve been using Duolingo-the language learning app-and I Love it(!) I’m almost 60, traveled in Spanish-speaking countries for decades but never felt my language skills were great, tho I could manage basic things- Duolingo has turbo charged my learning in a way pure immersion, and classes, never did.

[@robharristn]

Amazing lady. Would love to see more from her.

[@topplacetoLive]

Wow, Ajijic looks amazing for early retirement! The scenery and lifestyle seem so peaceful. Definitely adding it to my list!

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

You should!

[@davebaker489]

Leave it to Brighton to work in a dog fix with an interview. One very kind hearted and amazing woman. Very good interview yet again Mr B. P n D

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks Pam and Dave. Wasn't that dog mural great? Unfortunately, I didn't get to play with all the dogs. Mostly they stayed in the bedroom. When they came out it was chaos!

[@sandramore7021]

I stumbled upon your channel and I absolutely love it! I'm a Canadian Expat in Thailand, just retiring as a teacher here and I'm looking for my forever place I'm 59 and single and I also have tons of travel experience ha ha, would you please do a video on the necessary steps, paperwork and criteria, to become a retired resident in Mexico? Much appreciated, best wishes and keep up the good work ❤

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

That's a great idea. Like a "Move to Mexico 101." Thanks for the idea. Mexico is great if you have US connections. Thailand is great too, but hard to get to the states if you have family or medical needs.

[@karenledesma7964]

Wow what a. Video!!!❤

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thank you so much 😀

[@paulavaldez6022]

❤ congratulations beautiful 😍 been happy

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thank you!!

[@melann4065]

Lots of great info

[@cathyplatin3906]

Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful video. My husband and I are in the middle of deciding about moving to Mexico; have gone for 40 years. We love Oaxaca and Lake Chapala after spending 6 months there for a number of years. I really look forward to more videos about Health Care in Ajijic, especially Medicare Advantage, as we went to Lakeside Medical and go some info about it but still not completely clear. I LOVE your videos and your exuberant/positive personality. I’m new to your channel but am now a big fan. Really look forward to more interviews(you’re great at it). Thanks again…

[@cathyplatin3906]

P.S. We got our Permanent Residency visa last year in Oaxaca. Am so happy to have it!

[@Thomas-yg7qg]

Another great interview!

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thank you Thomas!

[@damesaphira9790]

The gas ovens are the same here (Texas) just make sure you are getting the oven hot enough and put food in the CENTER of the oven, not anything on the bottom rack. To brown you might have to raise the temp by 50 degrees the last 10 min. of baking.

[@jenniferressmannwriter]

Thank you! Always so helpful and interesting 👍🌴🌺

[@edelmirajensen2983]

Thank you soo much for all the information you are giving us, about insurance, medical and everything else 🙏 I appreciate it very much.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thank you for watching!

[@lunazamoraart]

Here’s another topic for you! How to move major wood working equipment from Texas to Mexico

[@4lugan]

I have met this woman, nice lady. I am Mexican by the way

[@wengliu]

Great information, interview, and video.

[@joenice5494]

I’m thinking about moving to Veracruz but one thing that breaks my heart is seeing so many street dogs. I’m sure that if I move there I will start doing something to help all those dogs.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Yes- the street dogs need a lot of help. And I'm sure there will be an organization you can join to help!

[@KathleenClark-wj4uc]

What a great video in so many ways! Love Annette and all the topics covered! I wanna just hang out with her. What a privilege that would be. Gracias Brighton for this video 🇲🇽🇺🇸👍🏻‼️

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

I agree. One thing I love about making these videos is meeting all these cool people that I otherwise wouldn't meet.

[@Thomas-yg7qg]

House seems very nice!

[@lynnmckenzie4841]

Great interview Brighton, would you live in Ajijic? Do you like it as much as La Paz?

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

It’s really nice. I’d really like to be part of the Lake Chapala Society. The weather is amazing. Lots of Pickleball. Access to amazing healthcare in Guadalajara. But it’s a bit sleepy. I love that La Paz is bigger. And Lake Chapala is polluted, so not swimmable. I’ve hit a video about real estate coming soon. There’s not a lot of older close in homes available because of the geography and how it’s grown. Do the verdict: I’d live there in the summers if I could convince Kat to leave Oregon. But I still like La Paz.

[@Resmith18SR]

Im retired here in Mexico for many years and I can't believe how those hospitals treated her husband. They wouldn't even call an ambulance for or give her the number to transport him to Guadalajara. Shows how they're just all about the money and paying up front rather than the actual medical emergency where someone needed brain surgery and could die. Health care in Mexico after hearing this and orher stories is just unbelievably horrible. The U.S. is not a great health care system but at least they treat you regardless of ability to pay and that's many times the difference between a person living or dying.

[@spicycopper2436]

She paid $15,000 for her hubby's brain surgery and they didn't have insurance. I did research and the typical cost of brain surgery ranges from $50,000-$150,000 or more for people without insurance in the US. In the US, a private hospital can denied healthcare service if you don't have insurance. If it is an emergency, they just have to stabilize the person than will have them removed. There are videos showing hospitals in the US dumping people outside in hospital gowns who can't paid. It's a sad what the US healthcare has come too.

[@thesummerland6165]

bless you, bless you, bless you!!! making the world a more compassionate place..I hope there are some cat rescues as well..

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Bless you, bless you, bless you back! It's all about spreading compassion and making the world a better place. And don't worry, their are cat rescues in Mexico. But I think the stray dog issue is more prevalent than stray cats (in most cities - I know that PV has a lot of cats and cat rescues). Gotta make sure the feline friends get their fair share of love too!

[@Thealignmentkeys]

Thank you for sharing your story Annette. I am planning to retire in the next few years and I am trying to figure out where to move. I am single and plan to move on my own. This was very helpful - I now have Ajijic on my list. Thanks for doing the video - very nicely done!

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

You can do it! Check out this playlist from the Guadalajara area. Be sure to watch watch the 3rd video: Guadalajara and Beyond kzbin.info/aero/PL0g8-PsBIVsw_byKALJCW94Pn1E-svXwO

[@zuluhours]

Awesome interview 👏🏼

[@mmamommamo6152]

Nice video. Very nice and very talkative lady. Health insurance is very IMPORTANT. I never travel without it. Thanks for the video.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks for watching!

[@LS-id5hc]

What airlines let you fly with three dogs in cabin. Coming from UK to Mexico will stop in USA or Canada. Amazing lovely lady thank you kindly for the interview. ❤

[@nancyoconnor124]

Annette, you are a wonderful role model about how to follow your dreams of retirement! You have a beautiful heart! Thank you for all you do for children and fur babies! Would be so grateful for more information about insurance and any other information that would be helpful for a widow like myself dreaming of retiring in a beautiful place, with a strong sense of community. Thank you so much!

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks Nancy - I have a playlist that you might find helpful: Experts in Moving to Mexico kzbin.info/aero/PL0g8-PsBIVsyPNt6cKeT-MoYFrr2L-wFy

[@ChristopherUSA888]

Quite a story ❤ Humongous house ❤ thanks for sharing 🙏🙏🙏

[@ElaineCueva-e5z]

I love her!

[@patdodson5981]

What standard of living does the nuse, gardener have? You were paid well when you worked. Pay them well too.

[@lunazamoraart]

Wow. He was very lucky. I am alone, so if I have a traumatic injury, do I have to hire a family to mind my recovery ? Just trying to plan!

[@AnnetteThompson]

Yes but there are bilingual Mexicans here who provide that service for single gringos who need to stay overnight in a hospital.

[@manuvital9071]

what a lovely lady and valuable dog rescue! She spoke of mosquitoes. Which months are the worst for mosquitos in Ajjic?

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

June thru October is the rainy season. I'm guessing that's when mosquitos are worst.

[@virtuewisdom4633]

Wow! beautiful home! Good video.❤

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Glad you liked it!!

[@dylan12h96]

Good video!!

[@jackbaldwin3649]

Hey Brighton if you wanted to do a video on this, "Rule 72(t) allows you to take early withdrawals from retirement accounts without incurring penalties." that would be super!! I couldn't find a lot of information on this topic online or KZbin. Thanks again!

[@eileena8344]

I could help with that. I'm a CPA with more than 20 years of tax experience

[@jackbaldwin3649]

@@eileena8344 Where are you if I may ask? I'm in California.

[@eileena8344]

@@jackbaldwin3649 Hi Jack, I'm in the Seattle area but can send you some information from the AICPA so you know it's up to date and accurate. Anyways, it's a 6 page document but I'm not sure how to attach that here. Any ideas?

[@barbarabooth9824]

Beautiful house

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

I agree - I love the murals everywhere!

[@kocreteify]

What $1,500 per month on property taxes in Texas?!!😮 $350 per year is Extremely Affordable! A nurse that does cooking and cleaning? Amazing!!

[@floswason8776]

You should see property taxes in New York your head would swivel

[@kloatlanta]

I know right?

[@guillermomaldonado3849]

Great interview; love the spirit and the insight. My wife and I are now in La Paz testing the waters and so far we love it! B any real estate agent recommendations?

[@dancechicky2012]

More information on insurance in Mexico would be tremendously helpful, especially for people that are under 60 years old

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Thanks. I’ll try to gather that info.

[@lindylee1139]

Her husband was lucky he had a wife to advocate for him otherwise who knows what would have happened if he stayed at the small town hospital.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Yes. It's unclear if they had a backup surgeon or some other plan.

[@BuceriasRodHardy]

Nice woman, but they're not a typical expat money wise, if they were paying 1500 USD a month for taxes in Texas and from seeing their house in Mexico.

[@bazia7927]

Would love a video or series about living rurally. I need a quieter environment & know that noise can be an issue in all of Mexico but are there options for a little house in the countryside that would be quieter?

[@tcb1017]

Charming women also charming price. Many people in the US don't even have a 401 K barley a savings and have never even own a house to sell so she or her husband and her parents already came with money from the US so they did blend in with the rich people already in Ajijic. Ok, good for them great that her husband made it also from not having had more even death or major brain injuries so he would be just laying staring at the ceiling not knowing where he is. Bless them all the best for them all while they live. Life is and can even be so short and change in a heartbeat as they say so write or say as the Mexican artist di VIVA LA VIDA while it last. All the best to them and bless us all who are human beings and all the animals also. In memory of Juan Gabriel Y Vicente Fernendez.

[@liveourbest2067]

I had surgery for my dog in TJ a few months ago the vet. did the same thing to me.She Whatsapped a photo of my dogs uterus that had been removed...I guess thats a thing down here 🤣A bit shocking to see on my phone wasnt expecting it.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Vet care is so much more affordable in Mexico. It's crazy the difference! We haven't gotten any photos yet, but our vets haven't needed to go inside our animals. Otherwise we may have gotten photos ;-) Thanks for sharing!

[@tcb1017]

Now when I think back that ( old dog ) Bill the Geek did a video of her also so you are not the only one but yours is so much better an that ( old dog ) Bill's video. He was like Elvis, he left the building and left the Chapala area to look for more of his living style he said so bless him also in his new life. Bless us all hopefully !

[@laurac-ss1cp]

My.spirit animal is the turtle too!

[@christineg1227]

so my husband and I were there visiting, if you like to hear loud church bells go off every 30 min every day and lots of people then this place is for you! its very loud and like a party every day. the area is small nothing to really do there as far as outdoor activities and food prices are the same as in the states. nothing cheaper and home prices are the same as here in the states as well. so i cant see how its cheaper to live in mexico as it is in the states. this was sept 2023. I live in Texas too. every one is different as to what they want in retirement. I surely dont want to wake up to church bells every moring noon and nite. and lots of people. I perfer a beach, quiet and calm days ahead. if I want to see a party ill go to the city. the town was not as clean as you hear on here either, and you have the beggers too and the other little town chiapas! that dirty brown lake that really dont want to swim in that has snakes floating around it, hummm no! the pictures of that lake on here was blue waters really looked nice but in real life nope!! very low also. due to no rain. also not cheap to live either, home prices are the same as here because of the investors building homes like what we have in the states. the cheapest you can find on a already built home is $300,000. so not much different then here. so if you are rich and reallt have a great retirement plan then go ahead. I dont want to spend all my money on a home down there where I can get the same here. not trying to be negative, but people should really put a real review on here so others dont get the idea of its so great when its really not! I was really disappointed because of all the great reviews on you tube and then i see it for my self and was like no way!

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Sorry Ajijic wasn't for you. My experience over 4 days was very different. Housing is expensive, but I live on the west coast of the US where housing is crazy expensive. But property tax on my Mexico house is 1/20th what I pay in the US. I got great food in Ajijic for about 60% of what I'd expect to pay for a similar meal on the west coast of the US. The lake is sad. It's pretty, but I'd never swim in it, and I wouldn't want to eat fish from it. Did you play any pickleball? That's becoming very popular. I also saw yoga and Lake Chapala Society.

[@maryfurman698]

I know Lakeside Medical is also available in Mazatlan and PV. I have investigated because we hope to retire there.

[@hollycolbath6273]

I have been wanting to adopted a bed buddy and helper around the yard

[@gayle4795]

Living in Ajijic??, swimming is a big priority to myself , where do you go swimming there

[@Atomic-km6ig]

Beautiful video and a charming kind lady!!! Absolutely beautiful interview. We plan to relocate to Mexico 2024, I do want to take some of my furniture pieces, kitchen items, some decor…how to we go about that? I noticed she said her husband brought his tools…wondering how to go about it.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

You can hire a moving company in Mexico. I have recorded an interview with Chuck from bestmexicomovers.com/, but I haven't edited it yet. He can help you move everything from door to door. Other options are moving your stuff to the US/Mexico border and hiring someone to take it from the border south. I like Best Mexico Movers because they handle everything from your house in the US to your house in Mexico.

[@Atomic-km6ig]

@@AlmostRetiredinMexico thank you so much for details!! Enjoying your videos!! Saludos de Houston Texas!!

[@cfyfe7168]

Thank you Brighton. So appreciated!

[@independentthinker4397]

Your home is beautiful,how much does it cost for an average home?We live in Oregon but are considering a move to mexico.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

In Ajijic, I would save average is around $4-500k USD. But there are many places in Mexico where you can find a nice home for around $100k USD.

[@gayle4795]

Is renting pretty easy, and what about costs, for rent? I am in Canada~

[@HunterMann]

Hi, it’s a good video and nice to see something different than all of the videos about retired Gringos that bring gentrification with him to so many special parts of Mexico, turn turning most any town into gringo land, and driving the price of Shop it’s nice that these people are bringing something that benefits the community especially their care for dogs. It’s also nice that it worked out they could bring their parents with them. My question is about the economics of the elder care especially the in-home nurse and other caregivers. She mentions that she was originally paying the nurse five dollars an hour and they gave her a raise to six dollars an hour, wow! I find that a bit offensive. For in-home quality nurse care I am at work at Cetra in the US easily $25 an hour even more if you’re paying a fee to an agency on top of that. So instead of giving the nurse a raise of one dollar I think there is Nurse should be paid paid $10 an hour. I don’t know this these two retired couples economy but it seems like paying out $10 an hour would not break the bank for them. I need a lot of retired gringos that have their great defensive excuse for why they want to pay low Mexican wages to any Mexicans that work for them in Mexico. They will say “well, it really upsets their local economy and it’s an unnatural spike in their income, if you pay them very much money they get used to it then if you no longer need their services they are left in a difficult economic position trying to adjust back to low wages.“ Whatever. Open your heart and be generous, if you can’t pay that woman $10 an hour, Why not do a fundraiser campaign through KZbin or other social media all of us can ship in money every month so that you can pay the person the wage they deserve. I would be embarrassed pre-pay someone low wages for a professional care that required a lot of training. Seriously, I know that the minimum wage in Mexico is around $16 a day for eight hours but that’s for people doing fieldwork or washing dishes in a restaurant. Certainly you don’t think that a waiter at a fancy restaurant in the state of Jalisco is doing all of that work for a $16 paycheck… of course they get tips etc. So what does this woman think that a personal elder care nurse deserves? Only six dollars an hour? If so I hope she’ll do another video and explain how she arrived at that being acceptable. Seriously? One dollar per hour raise if she felt the bomb deserved with raise why did she determine only one dollar more is it that she seeing it as a 20% raise? I can just imagine between a couple of retired couples and all the other retired couple say chat with that they all discuss things down to the point where it’s the absolute lowest amount of money they can possibly spend. She said it herself in the video “I feel like I’m living like a queen, everything is so much cheaper than the nine states here“ yes it is but what’s wrong with paying a professional nurse $10 an hour? See how that works? I’d like to hear peoples comments if you think I’m just a nobody I’ve been in Mexico on and off since the 1970s, very proficient in Spanish and quite aware of what it’s like to work for pesos and live on pesos in Mexico.

[@davidsebastianelli1326]

First, you disparage the "Gringos" who come down and "bring gentrification with them" and then in the same sentence you say she pay more than double of what the going rate is for in home care. Do you not understand what gentrification is or what causes it to happen? It's when you or someone else willingly pays way more than just extra, be it for a service, rent, goods or for what food regularly go for thus causing prices for everything else to go up along with it and driving out the locals who are then unable to pay the higher costs now associated with the neighborhoods where they and their families have always been able to grow up comfortably with the money they've previously made and have always worked in. Just saying....It's good for just some of the people but not for all of them.

[@Thomas-yg7qg]

Any chihuahua rehomes?

[@opsecclassified6469]

In the Philippines those house helpers (to help mom) would be 4 dollars usd for the week! So much more cheaper than the Mexico! Whats say u?

[@5thdimension625]

Love her Westie

[@patallenhurst3043]

Does she have to pay for the nurses and gardeners health insurance?

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

I'm not sure. If they work for her full time (at least one of the nurses does) then she would have to pay for their insurance. But if the other nurse and gardener have other clients, she may not have to pay for that. It's similar to the employee vs contractor distinction in the US. But it's something I don't know a lot about. Thanks for asking.

[@AnnetteThompson]

Yes but it would only cover care for our staff at a basic government hospital which has lesser service so we pay for them to see our own doctors when they’re sick.

[@joanna9242]

What is the name of the teaching hospital in Guadalajara?

[@normadoughty9770]

Hi. You are retired, but not collecting social security as far as I understood. In the middle time, how do you do your taxes, what kind of income you have. I am an artist with dual citizenship looking for job opportunities in Mexico, but I am very confusing about the taxes, I am 58. Thanks in advance.

[@Erik1340]

Wear your helmet people...

[@WRMRanch]

Hi Annette, I would love to help you with social media or any other admin you need that I could do from the states. You are a true inspiration. So glad hubby and parents are doing well. XO, Kelly

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Kelly - can you reach out thru Annette's website? She doesn't read the comments here. bonevoyagedogrescue.com/

[@jguzman713]

850k for the house ?

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Yes. It's a big house plus 3 apartments and a pool about a block from Lake Chapala in Ajijic. This is a very much in demand area and there aren't many houses that come on the market often.

[@davidetrevinot]

How to get a mortgage to buy a home in Mexico?

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

It’s possible to get a mortgage, but not common. Banks offer them, but rates are high and you need a credit history in Mexico. There is a bank in California that will give mortgages in Mexico. I think it’s called Moxie.

[@theparlourlady543]

I was watching the host and thinking he sounded like Jordan from tangerine travels, RELATED.?

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Jordan is my brother from another mother ;-)

[@Mavie-Villa]

$900,000 Dlls is not cheap at all for Mx…honestly!!

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Definitely not cheap. But this is a really amazing property in the heart of one of the most desirable cities for foreigners in Mexico.

[@jnazzise]

This lady has plenty of money in any country

[@stahshakay8103]

Shoot you lost me at mosquitos! I think I need to look at Europe for retirement.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Yeah - the mosquitos are pretty bad during the rainy season in the Lake Chapala area. Those little buggers are a bitch!

[@bfdee1603]

Hearing their local hospital experience makes me not like where they live. Indeed, their house is pretty expensive for being in mexico. Its a big and nicely built house, but nothing there speaks $800k to me. My 2 cents😅

[@joanhiggin1134]

You said european can buy Can you do some with English/ British people please thanks

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

That's a great idea! I love British accents, so I'd love to interview a Brit. Now I need to find one. I'm going to La Paz in about a month and it's mostly Canadians and US-ians there. But the embassy says there are 15,000 Brits living in Mexico. I'll keep my eyes (and ears) open!

[@HunterMann]

I like your series of videos but I’m wondering at what point do your videos and thousands of people seeing them end up driving the prices up in Mexico? It’s really nice that you’re sharing all this information but if your videos make 500 more retired couples moved to the area of Lake Chapala then the prices will go up. I’m not saying your videos are causing all of this gentrification but it’s happening all over Mexico especially in places like San Miguel de Allende. I could’ve bought a house in San Miguel 20 years ago for $25,000. That same house now is $240,000. It still has a leaky roof the outdoor steps need a lot of repair and it has frequent power outages. So what made it worth so much more? Well the supply and demand more people move there And it’s happening in probably 20 other cities in Mexico. So, I like your videos but it also scares me because when I see that thousands of people are seeing your videos a lot of those people are going to move to Mexico on your recommendation and push locals further out to the perimeters the edges of their town or city. find a chance of you download video yet where you weigh the pros and cons of promoting retirement in Mexico? Or perhaps I’m just overly sensitive to this because I’ve spent so many decades in Mexico myself but I don’t choose to settle into one area and when I am there I do not mix in with the other Gringos nor do I avoid Spanish or those “spicy Mexican dishes“. I wish I could 100% enjoy a video like this one like your other viewers but I just feel like analyzing it for all of the good and bad of it. For example… They paid $850,000 US for their house? Do they realize that only about 5% of the people in Mexico Can afford a house of that cost? When people buy a big house like that it sets an example to a lot of Mexicans that they think that all Americans are super rich. It makes it that much harder for me when I go to rent a place they see that I am a gringo instead of renting me a small apartment near the beach for 200 a month They will charge me $800 a month because they can. Luckily I have my ability to speak Spanish and I understand a lot of culture and customs of Mexico so I quickly get them to think differently and treat me like a local so I am not charge gringo high rent. Any comments?

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Displacement is definitely an issue. Even when you move somewhere, it displaces one local that could have rented that apartment. It's universal. I'm not sure what the answer is - except increasing the supply of affordable housing - but I'm not sure how to support that.

[@HunterMann]

I’m sorry to sound negative but some of the economics of this is quite sad. On one hand you have this woman saying she “lives like a queen” in Mexico, pays an in-home elder care nurse only six dollars an hour then she brags about how cheap it was to get her couch reupholstered. Doesn’t occur to her that some of that money that she saved maybe she should put towards higher wages for her nurse? If her nurse works a 10 hour day she gets $60 in Mexico a 10 hour day in the US currently would probably be about $275 or more. Can’t you see the math? Mexico is going to remain a developing country if you can’t open up your wallet and pay people a little bit better. If this woman can afford to pay a higher wage to her nurse she should. If she can’t pay it I wish she would contact me and I will help set up a fundraiser so that her nurse can be paid a respectable wage. I’m not retired I still work in the TV industry. If I go to Mexico to shoot with a crew of Mexican film workers I am not going to be paying them six dollars an hour even though they’re professional and that might be the going wage. They will get $20 an hour. Is that a crime to overpay people or actually pay them a wage that’s high enough that they can actually save some money each month? I just hope that this woman in the video understands that the size and style of her house is white only about 10% of Mexicans can afford. So that puts her in the upper 10% in the Mexican economy. I know it’s great to feel rich because back in the states she certainly wasn’t feeling rich paying $1500 a month property taxes for example. I know everyone just wants to praise 100% of this video so I will probably get negative comments back or the travel video series will just delete the comment because they don’t want people to stop and really analyze the economics of it. One persons junk is another persons treasures one persons Poverty is another persons riches. If you don’t believe me go to small towns in America that have become overrun with the Airbnb industry. The locals who used to live in town but clean those houses now have to live 15 or 20 miles out in the desert where there is more affordable housing. Is everyone OK with that? Anything for the money it doesn’t matter about human rights to affordable housing? I feel like doing a documentary on a typical nurse and working for Gringos in Mexico and examine what their personal economy is, that they probably have to take two or three city buses to get to their small tiny apartment or little shack yet every day they go back to work at this palatial house were the retired gringa says she “feels like she’s a queen”

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

I’d be happy seeing this documentary. Go for it. The going wage for a nurse in this area is $4 an hour. So she is paying 50% more than average. And there is a problem with overpaying people (or over tipping.) The locals can’t compete so they get no nurses, or shitty restaurant service. And this woman uses her time and money to run an animal shelter. Should she pay US wages to her nurse, but stop running a shelter? Economics is tricky. For me, as long as you pay a respectable wage and invest in the community, you’re doing good. I’d love to find a way to invest in “local income housing.” But I haven’t found that yet.

[@anniesshenanigans3815]

Having to pay for services before you go for emergency surgery is just WRONG!! this is one reason why I have hesitated to move to any LATAM country.. I know it's cheaper, but really?? even for an emergency?? So that means they will just let you die?? Anyway.... love the house.. Not a fan of dogs.... LOVE the murals. They are people with LOTS of cash, so not really an affordable range for an average person looking for a home.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Yes- this couple has an above average income. Not all expats are in this situation. And the payment wasn't purposely before the emergency surgery, it was before they would let him leave the first hospital. Pretty common practice because the hospital wants to be sure you pay. And if you're a foreigner, it's pretty hard to get for the hospital to get you to pay after you've left the country. Unfortunately, the best care was in a different hospital...

[@BPe-ie9je]

the dogs have to be neutered ....who pays for that ? what does that run , in MX ? Very interesting. I'm from Mich. I dont think I could tolerate the pollution in Lake Ajijic. But area looks lovely.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

I think the cost of fixing dogs runs $25USD when you do a lot at one time. Maybe $50 when you do them individually. Most of these nonprofits in Mexico get funding from donors in the US. I'm hoping the lake gets cleaned up one day, but it's going to be a long, long process...

[@emmas1082]

They really need to get insured. 15,000? If they paid $1000 a year that is 15 years of coverage. It is not smart to go uninsured.

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

They are insured now. They just had not yet done it when he had the accident. It took us a few months to get homeowners insurance because the process is different than we were used to.

[@emmas1082]

@@AlmostRetiredinMexico that is so great to hear🥰❤️

[@bettycarol8752]

Don't be without medical insurance

[@lanaswanson1743]

\i would like to to exchange texts with this lady.

[@zxcvbnmdb]

RAINY SEASON??? FORGETABOUTIT!!

[@cgonzalez0401]

ooooouuuu wwawoo so cheap waaaoouu so,yeah ,its cheap when you are rich like this people...

[@armandopimentel1575]

If you get a eletric eve you Eletricy bill is going to be to high

[@AlmostRetiredinMexico]

Electric eve?

[@armandopimentel1575]

I mean oven