Mexican real estate
My wife & I took a trip down to Mexico a few weeks back. A funny side note: We originally were supposed to go to Cabo, but found out last minute that you need a passport now in order to fly. Well sufice it to say I haven't had a passport in years. An it was too late to get one in time for the trip ( I have since found out you can get them really quick. )
So I did some finagling and websurfing which led me to distractions that took me from looking for vacation places in mexico, to looking at real estate in mexico.
What Does My trip have to do with NAR?
Well, because of the distractions of my search, I started looking for real estate for sale. And I found that they really have a screwed up system down in Ole Mexico. And how lucky we are to have the MLS. And perhaps if Mr. Brian Larson (the loudest voice of MLS reform) gets his way,this might be an indicator of what our system of real estate can become. Decentralized and very confusing!
Well it seems your National Organization is crossing the border to lend a helping hand.
For the first time ever, the U.S. National Association of Realtors (NAR) is embarking on an international joint venture. The cooperative agreement with the agency’s Mexican counterpart, the Asociacion Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios (AMPI, or Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals) seeks to achieve greater uniformity in the U.S. and Mexico real estate industries.
Under the agreement, the two agencies will exchange business standards. AMPI benefits by receiving NAR membership and permission to use the NAR logo and trademark. The union will assure customers that AMPI follows a U.S.-style code of ethics, plus the logo will help the Mexican agency seem familiar to Americans.
NAR members get something out of the deal, too, of course. They are eager to learn about real estate opportunities in Mexico from their peers at the AMPI. NAR recognizes that more and more Americans (and Mexicans living in the U.S.) are making the move to Mexico.
Mexico is particularly attractive to U.S. citizens because, in addition to its proximity, it offers a similar standard of living. All this while still being Mexico…a beautiful, tropical, inexpensive alternative to the U.S.
NAR also wants to get in on the Mexican market, which it says is really growing for the first time. These factors all contribute to creating a primo real estate environment for all involved.
Mexican American Invasion
I told my wife,"Baby we aren't flying, we are driving. And we aren't going to Cabo, we are going to Rosarita!" Well, she was a bit dissapointed. As I was but apparently you can drive across with just a license. Yah those Homeland Security boys have it all figured out don't they?!
Anyway I digress. What hit me in the face was the amount of development going on along the beach towns on down into Ensenada. And it is mostly Americans walking the streets shopping and living in these places. I found this ironic as I listened to L.A. Talk Radio KFI which you can still get all the way to Ensenada.
The hosts were talking about the Mexican Invasion, (Southern Californians love to talk about that), and the costs to California in Social Services. This while I saw the umteenth American walking into the local Bar.
We soon were to become the umteenth and 2 to go into the the local bar(s).
Hi Tim,
I am a fan of what you have done in the real estate internet marketing field. I read your blog, listen to your podcasts and seen some videos you have done. Keep up the great work. I know this blog post is from 2006, but it is extremely relevant in 2008. Currently there are an estimated 500,000-1,000,000 Americans living in Mexico (and another 200,000 canadians). You are totally right about the American invasion and as more and more baby boomers retire many are planning to move to Mexico and Costa Rica where the healthcare is more affordable and the weather is nice and warm (the new Florida). I just listened to your two interviews with Stephen about his trends report. Good stuff! I was thinking about getting the report the other day, but after listening to the podcast I just had to get it.
Posted by: Brian Requarth | February 20, 2008 at 12:15 PM