I will be going to the Rosarita/Ensenada area to look for a place to live. I will not be there all year round. Probobly six months of the year. I
have been told by one realtor that a gated community is a must. Another realtor does not feel so strong about this, and tells me I will get much more
for my money if I do not go into a gated area and that with proper security in place, I will be safe. I am a female nearing retirement age, but will
be having my son living with me.
Can anyone living in these areas shed some light on this subject before I go there and look. I would really appreciate your input.
Sonjasurfer jim - 6-30-2005 at 07:40 PM
Don't have an answer for you ....but this may be an interesting topic.....David K - 6-30-2005 at 08:00 PM
What do you want to get out of living in Mexico?
Will you learn the culture (incl. language), become close to your neighbors, etc.?
OR (like some), stay isolated (protected), keep to yourself, don't change to accept your new home... ??
How long have you been coming to Mexico and how long have you researched the area you are thinking of moving to?
You are not in Kansas anymore!
[Edited on 7-1-2005 by David K]Bruce R Leech - 6-30-2005 at 08:01 PM
go for the non gated if you want to be a part of the community. or a gated one if you are paranoid and an isolationist.Dave - 6-30-2005 at 08:06 PM
A gated community may make you feel safer but if you're gonna get robbed it won't make a bit of difference. I could BS my way into any gated compound
on the TJ/Ensenada coast.
The real problem is not for lack of gates but lax security and not clearing those who work inside. Your bet bet is to find a community where there are
a lot of full time residents, gated or not. Make friends of your neighbors. They're the best security you can get.Me No - 6-30-2005 at 08:07 PM
This is a troll.
Have fun fishing.
Bruce,
The Gull - 6-30-2005 at 08:09 PM
Don't hold back, tell us what you really think.
Did anyone tell this lady about the appreciation of property values between gated and non-gated?Me No - 6-30-2005 at 08:11 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Dave
The real problem is not for lack of gates but lax security and not clearing those who work inside. Your bet bet is to find a community where there are
a lot of full time residents, gated or not. Make friends of your neighbors. They're the best security you can get.
Thatupther is the answer, and should be the end of this obvious troll.
Chalk another one up for Mr. David Horwitz. Compliment by the way. I now know your last name has a real ring to it.Dave - 6-30-2005 at 08:24 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Me No
I now know your last name has a real ring to it.
Clever, Grasshopper.roundtuit - 6-30-2005 at 08:31 PM
Moving To Mexico ??? I thought Ensenada was part of San Diego Ca. Now.
Trolling with some live bait.
I'll play
jrbaja - 6-30-2005 at 08:32 PM
"Can anyone living in these areas shed some light on this subject before I go there and look. I would really appreciate your input."
And David, this applies to you how?
Seems like you were taklking about Rosarto being a gringo enclave not so long ago. Which part exactly?
Or is Rosarito just one big enclave?
Just curious as to "well educated and researched "opinions as I would certainly expect yours to be since you are involving yourself.David K - 6-30-2005 at 08:50 PM
He bit!
What do I win??
Thanks for the idea Minnow!
JR: focus your energy on the new Nomad, not me! YOU could be very valuable as one who lives in that part of Baja... so share!Dave - 6-30-2005 at 08:53 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Thanks for the idea Minnow!
Damn, how come I didn't get a U2U?
Nobody loves me.Packoderm - 6-30-2005 at 08:55 PM
I would imagine that the pros and cons of a gated community would roughly of the same nature on either side of the border. I personally couldn't
imagine myself living in a gated community.Me No - 6-30-2005 at 09:09 PM
Pac, thats NOT a Fine attitude!
Think about it.roundtuit - 6-30-2005 at 09:10 PM
Just Funnin not fighting. Use to go there all the time 30yrs ago and knew where the ice house, Hussons and tortilla factory was. Stayed at the Bahia
hotel and across the street was a French cruise resteraunt that made the best clam dish to die for Sure has grown as now I am lost when I pass
through.
Bad boys - stop and lie down
Gypsy Jan - 6-30-2005 at 09:33 PM
You are playing and chewing on Modhatters question for your own amusement.
Modhatter, you can't get a good answer from this board without doing some due diligence of your own.
Have you gone to where you want to live and investigated possibilities in person? Don't let a real estate agent who doesn't have your best interests
in mind influence you with their agendas.
Drive around, pull into a place that looks good to you and knock on doors and talk to the residents (take a Spanish dictionary, most any non-English
speaking person appreciates an American reaching out in the language, no matter how halting}.
Your future neighbors are the ones who will be your best resource and help, whether in a gated community or not.
And, a watchful dog or more is a great idea (adopt a Baja dog from a rescue organization in Rosarito, they will love you for life).
Fences and Good Neighbors
MrBillM - 7-1-2005 at 10:26 AM
Drive through ANY large town in Baja and notice that every Mexican who can afford it has a fence (often with broken glass embedded in the top) and
security bars on all of the windows and doors. They aren't there for decoration.rpleger - 7-1-2005 at 12:09 PM
Listen to Gypsy Jan.
Very good advice, which is hard to get in this forumpokey - 7-1-2005 at 01:41 PM
For what it's worth if your able to communicate in spanish you can save a TON of money by eliminating the gringo real estate agents. Properties
listed in El Mexicano, El Vigia or insta tips sell for far less than comparable properties listed by realtors.
Personally i don't feel a gated community is any safer than a upper class mexican neighborhood. But then again we've never lived in a gated
community.
gated or non
sylens - 7-1-2005 at 02:42 PM
We live in a NON gated Mexican community with a baja dog that adopted us (we moved into the house she considered hers) providing the best security
imaginable.
Check out Loma Dorada, just south of Ensenada behind the General Hospital on Rte 1 (Transpeninsular) heading south out of town. And as mentioned
above, do your own searching--realtors have only their best interests in mind. You will know when you find the neighborhood for you.
Lili
I was just informed
jrbaja - 7-1-2005 at 03:01 PM
by the gringo gazootte that our neighborhood has been having a theft problem, three new security guards have been hired and an electric gate was put
in.
Funny how living here, I haven't seen or heard any of this nonsense.
One thing about the gazoot, they are consistent!
Note, if you leave them in the sun for a week, you can then use them to start fires.
Gated Insecurity
MrBillM - 7-1-2005 at 03:20 PM
Dave makes a good point regarding the lack of security often found in gated communities.
When I worked with GTE in Palm Springs, 90 % of the gated communities did not actually have a guard at the gate, but mostly relied on automatic gates
with code keypads or cards. During the Summer when other activity was slow, I would do facility audits at those locations among others. To gain
access, I would simply call up one of the residents, tell them it was the phone company and they'd let me in. Once in awhile I'd have to go through
two or three residents, but I always got in. If no one is watching the Chicken Coop, the fox will get in.Packoderm - 7-1-2005 at 03:41 PM
" I would imagine that the pros and cons of a gated community would (be) roughly of the same nature on either side of the border. I personally
couldn't imagine myself living in a gated community."
Meno, I don't get what you mean. I was just saying that a gated community is a gated community. I would rather live without the walls and gates. If
and when I get my place in Baja, I would rather choose a different town rather than have to live gated in. For me, the cons would outweigh the pros.
That's all.Packoderm - 7-1-2005 at 07:10 PM
Professionals and con-artists?pokey - 7-1-2005 at 07:16 PM
the insane running the insane asylum?modhatter - 7-1-2005 at 07:22 PM
Pokey
Those are newspapers you mentioned? (El Mexicano, El Vigia or Insta Tips. ) Where might I find those papers? Are tjeu local to that area?
Sonjapokey - 7-1-2005 at 07:33 PM
Yep they are all local papers. There are others but those are the ones I buy daily. Insta tips is kinda like a glossy penny saver, all ads. The
papers can be bought almost anywhere in BCN.
