Economic Refugees

Had an interesting conversation today with a woman who has been here 3 years and has to get out of her house because the landlady wants to sell it and cash in. She can't find another place to live that she can afford and is thinking she may have to go back. She currently has a roommate to be able to afford the house she has.

This woman also said she knows a woman who works at one of the bazaars who says it is a steady stream of single women selling all their stuff and going back because they can't afford to live here.

Wow, they must be moving back to the depressed areas of Canada or the US cause prices certainly haven't been going down there either. It is still far less expensive to live here than in Vancouver or Toronto, etc.

I think there are still plenty of less expensive rentals if you get outside of Ajijic or Chapala.

The woman didn't have a car so I gave her a ride home. She had walked there but bought too much stuff and couldn't carry it home due to the fact that she broke her back falling over the cat.

She said she had been looking for a house on FB and they were too expensive so I gave her the advice on how to find a cheap rental from a Mexican family. Said she really couldn't pound the pavement due to her broken back.

I think we're seeing the fallout from the people who got caught up in the whole FB move-to-Ajijic frenzy and fell for all that bad advice given by people who have never lived here, been here a week and have all the answers, or have something to promote themselves.

Apparently if you are a couple and have 2 social security checks to live on, you can make it but if you are a single woman and must live in Ajijic you are outta luck.

There are also people who got all over the moon about moving to Ajijic and failed to notice Ajijic was located in Mexico.

Anyway, I felt bad for her and apparently there many more in the same boat.

I have no problem losing the "economic refugees" anyhow...….

There may be something I'm missing, but I know that the cost of living NOB is much higher than here. Have these people tried the rental market in Chapala where many facilities are within walking distance?

The lack of a car can be a big bugaboo.  The south side of the lake is very nice but Spanish is pretty much a necessity.  Joco is less expensive but prices are probably rising there as well.  More isolated if you need a lot of NOB people. Some of those newbie Facebook sites are a joke and the amount of misinformation is staggering but most don’t want the truth.

Did she say how much she can afford?  I just got back from Las Vegas and was bowled over by the prices.

Rony is posting inexpensive places around Chapala.

And I forgot to tell her about Rony. No, we didn't talk about money.

Iam not sure why you are surprised this situation has been going on for a few years.... Many of these folks would qualify for subsidized, section 8?,housing etc in the USA
With respect Ronys list is very basic housing, some with dirt floors. For what ever reason he seems to move around quite a bit..but if that is what your looking for go for it

in a related issue only a few weeks back a GOFUND fu d raiser was started for one of the "NOTABLES" at Lakeside to help pay for major surgery . So regardless of "the lower cost" of living in MX , if you do not have the income to suit, your screwed

Section 8 housing?  Please. Not acceptable to many for reasons that may not be practical, but do involve not wanting any form of "welfare".
People who come here based entirely on what they read on Facebook are bound to have many surprises.  Mostly unpleasant ones.
You're quite right that "your screwed" without sufficient income.

For what it is worth it was recently announced that there will be a 2.8% increase in Social Security benefits for 2019. I hope that is enough to make things at least a little easier for some on really tight budgets.
https://www.fool.com/investing/2018/10/13/its-official-social-security-recipients-are-gettin.aspx
Of course, if you're getting by on just SS it's too late to start making plans now.
 

I just heard that Paul Allen died today. Only 65 and richer than God. When your number is up all the money in the world won't help.

It also shows that too many come here solely because it’s cheap. Not a real good idea. The nice thing if you’re able to buy a house, with property taxes and water so inexpensive you won’t get priced out of the market even with prices rising a lot. I never wanted to be at the mercy of the rental market and it’s sad for those who are.

Re the Gofundme for the notable, I think he’s 86 so that’s a tough thing to go through at that age. Not sure I would bother if I were in his shoes but one never knows.

For those who are economically challenged, a viable alternative is to move where there are few or no gringos. I oftentimes see rentals in those areas starting around 700 pesos/month and up for an apt something like 600 sq feet. So yes you may need to learn some Spanish to get around and if you do not want to socialize with Mexicans then get Netflix. Always lots of options if you step out of the box.

The economic refugees are not all newbies by any means. Some of them are from years ago, when immigration financial requirements were much lower. Now, with the higher financial requirements and the boom in the economy, wirh prices to match, many of these people can no longer afford to live here. Not having a car, as many of these people don't, severely limits your choices. Many are good people, artists, free spirits and Bohemian types. They just got priced out. It's sad.

They could always move to San Nicolas or San Luis Soyatlan or Mazamitla or Tizapan al Alto etc . . . All fine places to live. And cheap.

They don't really want to move to México, they just want to live in Ajijic.

Kiri wrote:The economic refugees are not all newbies by any means. Some of them are from years ago, when immigration financial requirements were much lower. Now, with the higher financial requirements and the boom in the economy, wirh prices to match, many of these people can no longer afford to live here.   Not having a car, as many of these people don't, severely limits your choices. Many are good people, artists, free spirits and Bohemian types. They just got priced out. It's sad.

In a way it is the same as the gentrification that is happening in some American cities.

Trailrunner wrote:Had an interesting conversation today with a woman who has been here 3 years and has to get out of her house because the landlady wants to sell it and cash in. She can't find another place to live that she can afford and is thinking she may have to go back. She currently has a roommate to be able to afford the house she has.

This woman also said she knows a woman who works at one of the bazaars who says it is a steady stream of single women selling all their stuff and going back because they can't  afford to live here.

Back to where? North or south? I get it now. My first thought was refugees from Central America.

I still don’t understand where they can live NOB cheaper than here. Even if they found a place to rent there the same price as here (doubtful) they would probably have to pay heating or air conditioning and frankly, I would rather live with Rony’s dirt floor rental than in a housing project up north. It would be a lot safer. I’m guessing they’ll have to rely on family?

There are subsidized housing, Medicaid,food stamps that she could be eligible for.  Living conditions would not be as pleasant as the Chapala area.

Guadalajara has lots of cheap housing and walking distance to everything. When my niece was going to school there she had a one bedroom apt. for 300 pesos a month.

I think they want to be mainly with other expats which is a problem. Most are retired so they already have Medicare but they could still eat cheaper and better here plus the buses are certainly a lot less expensive. Frankly, it’s really lonely up there for older women. There isn’t the support system there. I hope they really think this through. It’s sad whatever they decide.

300 or 700 pesos a month today, I do not think so .. A student from Chiapas who stayed with us just got a room in Guadalajara for 1200 pesos a month, another one who is at our house right now is also looking and good luck with 300 or 700 pesos a month. He has not found any of those yet.
You can get a small 2 bedroom house for 2500 pesos a month  if you know someone.. At 300 or 700 pesos a month , it makes Guafaljara cheaper than towns in CHiapas so frankly I do not believe it. The okace I am talking about has no foreigners living there.

The idea of spending your old age in a little dump somewhere in a foreign country where you do not speak the language is really depressing. Better g back to the States where you speak the language and can get some type of help.