If you were going to buy a bit of land and build a surf shack in Mexico...

Sam_K

Legend (inyourownmind)
Dec 11, 2019
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Where would be your first choice? I've never been to Mexico but I have longer term plans of buying a pickup truck and maybe touring around for a few months, scouting out places to maybe get a bit of land. Obviously in areas where I won't get into trouble, but I reckon most of the country is safe if you avoid the worst bits.

Anyways, are there are areas in particular that have good surfing that you would consider semi-permanently settling down in?
 
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Sam_K

Legend (inyourownmind)
Dec 11, 2019
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where "wouldnt" you get in trouble? What is the "safe zone" you speak of?
I mean I don't really no sh!t about Mexico, I havent done the research yet, but its at least my basic understanding that there are certain parts that are especially dangerous. Closer to the border in particular. And then there are vast swathes of the country that are fine.
 
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grg

Phil Edwards status
Mar 11, 2006
5,882
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Tuna Town/Baja
Trouble all up and down the Peninsula and Its about 1000 miles long. Might want to do some research to kinda narrow it down.
 

santacruzin

Kelly Slater status
Oct 17, 2007
8,835
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valley purgatory
Friend is building a casita in front of a great break right now, he has spent a ton of time in Mexico .
knows the family he bought the land from, think he is even hiring their relatives to help with construction.

He had to create a Mexican corporation to buy the land if I remember correctly .
If you are asking for advice here you are probably not prepared yet.
 

LifeOnMars

Michael Peterson status
Jan 14, 2020
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I mean I don't really no sh!t about Mexico, I havent done the research yet, but its at least my basic understanding that there are certain parts that are especially dangerous. Closer to the border in particular. And then there are vast swathes of the country that are fine.

good luck ;)
 
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Chocki

Phil Edwards status
Feb 18, 2007
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Planet Earth
"worst nightmare: they wound up murdered thousands of miles from home and anyone they knew."

Because its so much nicer being disembowelled at home surrounded by relatives & friends.
Hey, at least they died doing what they loved.
 
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ElOgro

Duke status
Dec 3, 2010
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I can tell you that through 25+ years in Mexico as a property owner that you’re gonna get fucked. The only questions are for how much, and for how long, and by whom. There’s gonna be more than one. We’ll just call them your new best friends.

Things are more legitimate than they were two decades ago but the bottom line is what you read above. That’s gonna be independent of your nationality. They fuck each other for sport, take it from there, you’re fresh meat.

I’d be interested to hear from anyone else that has the same time in grade here that has a different experience. I personally don’t know anyone that has.

:waving:
 

Bob Dobbalina

Miki Dora status
Feb 23, 2016
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I'm no doomsdayer on Mexico by any means. My experiences have been great. but....

I've always assumed that, in a more visceral way, the only thing that can insulate you as a foreigner investing in Mexico is having enough fat to trim off and spread around. Money and resources go a long way in insuring security.

You'll save money compared to buying in the US, but you'll pay in other ways. You will always be the fatted calf. So one can go about it many different ways, some proactive and positive, some reactive and less positive, or surround oneself with legal (expensive) security, but in the end, there will be expenses. Will it be cheaper than the equivalent in Alta California? Maybe..
 
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mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
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Find a place you think you will like, rent for at least 6 months before even thinking about buying something.
 

ElOgro

Duke status
Dec 3, 2010
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Find a place you think you will like, rent for at least 6 months before even thinking about buying something.
Then come back and keep renting. That way dealing with the “chusma”, “lacra”, whatever is someone else’s pedo.

What Mr. Bob said above, cheaper is relative. Time is money and money is time. They have more time than you are willing to dedicate money.

Ask me how I know that.
 

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
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Then come back and keep renting. That way dealing with the “chusma”, “lacra”, whatever is someone else’s pedo.

What Mr. Bob said above, cheaper is relative. Time is money and money is time. They have more time than you are willing to dedicate money.

Ask me how I know that.
How do you know this?
 

Sharkbiscuit

Duke status
Aug 6, 2003
26,265
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Jacksonville Beach
Where would be your first choice?
Not East Cape Cabo (wintertime misery), nothing North of PV (wintertime misery) and not Southern Oaxaca (wintertime misery; busy righthanders). I bet there's some dusty dirt zones in Baja that have good consistency and light crowding. I have heard horror stories about the points between Ticla and Troncones in Wintertime - small surf, LARGE crowds.

I've never been to Mexico but I have longer term plans of buying a pickup truck and maybe touring around for a few months, scouting out places to maybe get a bit of land. Obviously in areas where I won't get into trouble, but I reckon most of the country is safe if you avoid the worst bits.
If you have a truck and land trouble might not avoid you. I defer to El Ogro on this one. IMHO being over six foot, no girlfriend, no vehicle, a backpack, and a dusty boardbag make you a shitty target.

Anyways, are there are areas in particular that have good surfing that you would consider semi-permanently settling down in?
Yeah, from the tourist POV. But I'd do what mundus/ElOgro said and try putting in some real time before pulling the trigger.

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@ElOgro At some point, isn't the pay-to-play outsourced from the Gringo owner?
If you lived in:

1. Punta de Mita in some fancy house on the Four Seasons/St. Regis
2. One of those rich people zones in Mazatlan
3. Your sportfish in Mag Bay

Aren't you kind of insulated from the randos-in-pickup-come-by for some of your beers and some of your Benjamins and you go another year without having an "accident"? Your HOA goes up and all is normal?
 

mundus

Duke status
Feb 26, 2018
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Not East Cape Cabo (wintertime misery), nothing North of PV (wintertime misery) and not Southern Oaxaca (wintertime misery; busy righthanders). I bet there's some dusty dirt zones in Baja that have good consistency and light crowding. I have heard horror stories about the points between Ticla and Troncones in Wintertime - small surf, LARGE crowds.



If you have a truck and land trouble might not avoid you. I defer to El Ogro on this one. IMHO being over six foot, no girlfriend, no vehicle, a backpack, and a dusty boardbag make you a shitty target.



Yeah, from the tourist POV. But I'd do what mundus/ElOgro said and try putting in some real time before pulling the trigger.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

@ElOgro At some point, isn't the pay-to-play outsourced from the Gringo owner?
If you lived in:

1. Punta de Mita in some fancy house on the Four Seasons/St. Regis
2. One of those rich people zones in Mazatlan
3. Your sportfish in Mag Bay

Aren't you kind of insulated from the randos-in-pickup-come-by for some of your beers and some of your Benjamins and you go another year without having an "accident"? Your HOA goes up and all is normal?
This seems like the low hassle way to do it if you got the bucks, but like most things, probably not as easy as it seems.
 

ElOgro

Duke status
Dec 3, 2010
31,867
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Not East Cape Cabo (wintertime misery), nothing North of PV (wintertime misery) and not Southern Oaxaca (wintertime misery; busy righthanders). I bet there's some dusty dirt zones in Baja that have good consistency and light crowding. I have heard horror stories about the points between Ticla and Troncones in Wintertime - small surf, LARGE crowds.



If you have a truck and land trouble might not avoid you. I defer to El Ogro on this one. IMHO being over six foot, no girlfriend, no vehicle, a backpack, and a dusty boardbag make you a shitty target.



Yeah, from the tourist POV. But I'd do what mundus/ElOgro said and try putting in some real time before pulling the trigger.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

@ElOgro At some point, isn't the pay-to-play outsourced from the Gringo owner?
If you lived in:

1. Punta de Mita in some fancy house on the Four Seasons/St. Regis
2. One of those rich people zones in Mazatlan
3. Your sportfish in Mag Bay

Aren't you kind of insulated from the randos-in-pickup-come-by for some of your beers and some of your Benjamins and you go another year without having an "accident"? Your HOA goes up and all is normal?
To be honest, we were before the population explosion. Never paid a cent. Google Carlos Alberto Rosales Mendoza. He came to the house, no business, no problem. He went to school with a bunch of my close friends and told me that that was the reason why he was cutting us a break. We were the only ones here, he was our closest and only neighbor. Google him up.

Now, who knows. We’re in the middle of getting fucked to tears at the moment, my attitude isn’t the best. I’ve got a list of shitheads that I’d love to put one in their foreheads, my wife refuses to bring me my S&W .357 with the six inch barrel. Stick that shoots fire.

I miss “el tísico” never any problem with a verdadero hijo de la chingada. He was never in it for the money. The crew now shits where they eat and sleep. If you take my meaning.

Best of luck! Skill ain’t gonna get you there.