A Common Topic (Renting)

Hello, all. I'm a newbie here so please have patience with what is undoubtedly a most boring topic: renting in the Lake Chapala area.

I'm moving in the very near future from Long Beach, CA, USA to (perhaps) the Lake Chapala area. I lived in San Miguel de Allende for three years in the early oughts, so am somewhat accustomed to Mexican life. My wishlist items would be as follows:
- I will first need a place to stay while I look around, so a weekly or month-to-month rental. The specifics below cover a short-term as well as my long-term needs: I realize it would be to my advantage to be centrally located for exploring, but do not wish to live long-term in El Centro (or the equivalent).

- Small (1-2 bedroom) house
- Dog friendly
- NOT in a city/urban setting -- quiet and secluded and with room for my dog to run
- Furnished
- Long-term (Years)
- Price range: up to $1000K USD/month.

Any and all suggestions, recommendations, hints, tips, etc. most welcome

Thank you!

Hands down Hotel Perico, see banner ad up top of page, until you can get your bearings and find a good rental.

We are getting crowded.  Best way to find a good rental here, or anywhere in MX, is boots on the ground. How's your Spanish?

Let the landlord quote you a price before you tell them you'll pay 1000 US, then negotiate. Gringo houses cost more and are usually priced in dollars, Mexican houses cost less and are priced in pesos.

Hi, Trailrunner, thank you.  One of the reasons we left SMA was crowding (why I specified non-urban--I'm a country girl).
I do want to do boots on the ground, I'll check out El Perico.

Trailrunner wrote:Hands down Hotel Perico, see banner ad up top of page, until you can get your bearings and find a good rental.

We are getting crowded.  Best way to find a good rental here, or anywhere in MX, is boots on the ground. How's your Spanish?

Let the landlord quote you a price before you tell them you'll pay 1000 US, then negotiate. Gringo houses cost more and are usually priced in dollars, Mexican houses cost less and are priced in pesos.

Will you have a car? That will open up lots of areas easily and Trailrunner is right about gringo vs. Mexican owners. However, that doesn't mean you might not find the perfect place with a gringo owner.

Hi, Carry Bean. Thank you! Yes, I'll have a car.

You might like San Nicholas, Santa Cruz or elsewhere east of Chapala. South Shore? You'll know when you get here. Suerte.

Also check out Las Brisas and Chapala Haciendas. Both are FRAACs with a country feel.

we have lived in Chapala Haciendas for 7 years/ It is about 2miles north of Chapala, pretty quiet except for dogs. but they are everywhere. go to facebook, and click Ajijic and you can get lots of vids of the whole area

Lots of rural Mexican rentals Jocotepec, Cruz Azul. Very inexpensive - but they are often completely unfurnished. Still, good quality used appliances are inexpensive, and there is always sales of gringo style furniture at liquidation prices. The best part of unfurnished is that you also avoid the 16% I.V.A. sales tax, which is legally required on furnished rentals. Median price - 4000 -5000 pesos per month, some as low as 2,500 - but don't expect any green space at that price point.

I have yet to ever hear about any furnished rental (including those rented by RE companies) collecting and submitting the 16% IVA tax. Anyone that was would also need to be giving facturas to the customer. Do you know of any?

Things are changing very quickly. It is actually easy for Hacienda to prowl the websites, look at availabilities, and send the notices. They seem to be concentrating on resort area condos at this time, also collecting the 3% Hospitality tax. They have chained condos in Puerto Vallarta - that started five years ago. I was offered to pay I.V.A. on a five years lease (to make it legal). But any lease that is not collecting I.V.A. is illegal, and the judge in Chapala always sides with foreign renters (apparently) and the first thing he/she will ask for from aggrieved landlords is for copies of their electronic facturas. This is a form of money laundering, and can have some serious consequences in Mexico, and in the U.S. and Canada. I think more and more landlords are going legal, that is why there seems to be a 20% hike in rents from last year.

I'm not so sure prowling websites would be that easy. Most long term rentals would be on an RE website and I'm thinking they wouldn't hand out personal information that easy. TripAdvisor, Airbnb, VRBO, etc. definitely don't hand out any information (including address) until someone lays down their plastic and books. It would be easier to prowl the streets looking for the rental signs.

To the OP.......one of the best ways to get deals is to be here and talking with the locals. Getting a short term rental to tide you over is a good idea.

Remember when considering price to be aware of what's included. There can be a fair bit you may have to pay on top of the rent depending on that information.

Also be aware that many rentals are subject to frac and condo bylaws. Make sure you know about this.