1. Know your neighborhoods

The Lake Chapala area has many towns and neighborhoods. Everything from 5-star condo living to authentic Mexican villages. For this reason the most important decision isn’t where you want to live but more how you want to live. If you like the sounds of children playing in the town square and church bells in the morning then you most certainly want to live in a village. Now living in a village doesn’t mean living in a house built out of adobe. There is almost every style of living in every area around Lake Chapala.

2. Determine your price range

An important thing to keep in mind is that your price range, to some degree, is going to limit where you live. If you are looking to spend $500,000USD you probably wont find anything in the center of a small village, this price is way too high. Conversely if your price range is below $200,000 you’re not likely going to get 5 bedrooms with stunning views of the lake in upper west Ajijic. Most real estate agencies in Ajijic offer free guided tours of the area. This is an excellent way to not only get to know the area but also to get a feel of prices and how they relate to the different areas around the lake. In fact Chapala Realtors offers tours, just contact us and we would be happy to set one up! Contact us!

3. Research neighborhood infrastructure

There are many areas around Lake Chapala that don not have the best infrastructure. Things that you may take for granted such as internet, sewers, stable electricity, telephone lines, cable TV, etc. Make sure you research all of this before you consider making an offer on a property. A good real estate agent will have all this information at hand and will be able to help you understand the drawbacks of different neighborhoods and towns.

4. Choose a knowledgeable Agent and Broker

Doing real estate anywhere can be complicated, but doing real estate in a foreign country can be risky if you don’t understand all the different rules, regulations and nuances. A good Real Estate Agent belonging to a good Real Estate Agency will make sure you understand everything, every step of the way. As well they will be connected with could home inspectors, Notarios, and so on. Choosing a good real estate agent / agency is probably the most important step you will take in the home buying process in Mexico.