BajaNomad - tj apartment help?

tj apartment help?

whodat54321 - 6-14-2004 at 01:53 PM

Hi, I'm a 40 year old widower and am considering a move with my roommate to TJ in 2005. I speak enough spanish to get around town, and my roommie speaks fluently. From all the other TJ boards, I got a pretty good idea of what rents are, and what to expect living there. What I need is help tracking down rentals. I know to avoid agencies, and my rent target is low (I'm interested in a 1 bedroom or studio), probably in the $250 U.S. or lower range, and not too far from the border.

What is the easiest or best method to finding a decent and reasonable property? Pounding the pavement in the summer heat isn't my idea of fun.

JESSE - 6-14-2004 at 03:04 PM

I would suggest you find a place in Playas de Tijuana, in my opinion, the only decent place to live in TJ. Theres a small but decent gringo community here, crime is relatively low, we have churches, supermarkets, and coming soon, movie theaters, so you dont have to live Playas at all.

To find a place, you need to drive down here, and spend a day looking at places because the use of real estate agents here is almost non existant, owners simply place for rent signs and you knock on the door and ask for info.

Newspapers...

BajaCactus - 6-14-2004 at 03:07 PM

They are plenty of different options in the classiffieds of the local newspapers. specially in El Mexicano and Frontera.

Now, about the area you want to rent, will you be driving a car when living in TJ.....???, do you want an apartment near Otay crossing border or San Ysidro....???

Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where the Baja is much more than a dream..."

Anonymous - 6-14-2004 at 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaCactus
They are plenty of different options in the classiffieds of the local newspapers. specially in El Mexicano and Frontera.

Now, about the area you want to rent, will you be driving a car when living in TJ.....???, do you want an apartment near Otay crossing border or San Ysidro....???

Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where the Baja is much more than a dream..."

Thanks for the reference on the local papers. The newsstands have so many, I couldn't decide which to read. San Ysidro is my cup of tea, because I work nights and the crossing is open 24/7. I might bring my beat up old 85 ford in with me, because it isn't too valuable and the locals seem to drive better cars than mine anyway. Insuring it will be no big deal. The reason I need this much lead time is to get the needed paperwork out of the way first, especially the fa-2 stuff. Or should I just go with an fa-t first?

whodat54321 - 6-14-2004 at 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Anonymous

Quote:

OOPS! Darn login didn't work!

fm3

bajalou - 6-14-2004 at 04:16 PM

Beleive you need a local (mexico) address with supporting documentation to get FM@ or FM3 - so expect it best to find the place first

:biggrin:

whodat54321 - 6-14-2004 at 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JESSE
I would suggest you find a place in Playas de Tijuana, in my opinion, the only decent place to live in TJ. Theres a small but decent gringo community here, crime is relatively low, we have churches, supermarkets, and coming soon, movie theaters, so you dont have to live Playas at all.

To find a place, you need to drive down here, and spend a day looking at places because the use of real estate agents here is almost non existant, owners simply place for rent signs and you knock on the door and ask for info.

That seems to be a universal agreement on the other boards, but I wonder if that's out of my rent range? I also forgot what street gets me there. Do I go down the free road a bit south of town, or is there a shorter route?

Going to Playas...

BajaCactus - 6-14-2004 at 04:36 PM

Just after crossing the San Ysidro border, take the left lane and use the exit call "Avenida Internacional" or Rosarito / Ensenada. That will take directly to Playas, it is about 10 min away from the border.

Playas de Tijuana is a very nice and quite place to live, and if you want something cheap, go to the southest part of Playas, I think that is where the least expensive rents should be.

Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where the Baja is much more than a dream..."

whodat54321 - 6-14-2004 at 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaCactus
Just after crossing the San Ysidro border, take the left lane and use the exit call "Avenida Internacional" or Rosarito / Ensenada. That will take directly to Playas, it is about 10 min away from the border.

Playas de Tijuana is a very nice and quite place to live, and if you want something cheap, go to the southest part of Playas, I think that is where the least expensive rents should be.

Antonio M.
BajaCactus
"Where the Baja is much more than a dream..."

thanks again. will probably check it out on my cigarette run next week.

BajaNomad - 6-14-2004 at 09:31 PM

http://tinyurl.com/2phkr

3 bedroom house in Playas: $650/mo:
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/roo/31602943.html

--
Doug

whodat54321 - 6-15-2004 at 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNomad
http://tinyurl.com/2phkr

3 bedroom house in Playas: $650/mo:
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/roo/31602943.html

--
Doug

thx for the tip, but that's too much house and too much rent for my needs... need a small place, 1 bdrm. or studio is all that I need. The idea of moving south of the border for me is to address the cost of living issues, of which rent chews up more than half my monthly pay and is increasing. My target toatal rent should be no more than 25 to 30 percent of my net pay of around 800 a month. since my roommate and I will split that, it will cover the increased cost of commuting and allow us not to have to live on the ragged edge financially. :bounce:

Heather - 6-15-2004 at 10:16 AM

I would agree with Jesse that the best way to find a place is to drive around and see if something is listed as for rent "se renta". We lived in Playas for about 3 years, and paid between $300-$600, for 2 bedrooms. The further from the beach the cheaper the place, but living in Playas is the best place to be in TJ.

Watch out if you do happen to run into a realtor. They will want at least one month's rent as their fee. Another thing, you'll find is that many people have apartments/studios to rent above their house, behind their houses, etc. very enterprising, so even if the place looks small or shabby from the outside, check it out, and you may be pleasantly surprised by what's inside!

I would also suggest that you apply for the SENTRI border crossing pass now! It will take a while to get it, but will be well worth the wait, (in the mail as opposed to la linea!). H.

whodat54321 - 6-15-2004 at 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Heather
I would agree with Jesse that the best way to find a place is to drive around and see if something is listed as for rent "se renta". We lived in Playas for about 3 years, and paid between $300-$600, for 2 bedrooms. The further from the beach the cheaper the place, but living in Playas is the best place to be in TJ.

Going to do that next week.

Watch out if you do happen to run into a realtor. They will want at least one month's rent as their fee. Another thing, you'll find is that many people have apartments/studios to rent above their house, behind their houses, etc. very enterprising, so even if the place looks small or shabby from the outside, check it out, and you may be pleasantly surprised by what's inside!

that'll probably be where we start out. if i can get a couple of students to go in with me, then a house would make sense. just got to check out the area first and see what's what.

I would also suggest that you apply for the SENTRI border crossing pass now! It will take a while to get it, but will be well worth the wait, (in the mail as opposed to la linea!). H.

SENTRI is nice, but not needed for us. We work graveyards, and the wait is usually not too long, except on holiday weekends, but we can work around that by leaving earlier. Our work is in El Cajon, so once we are over the line, it's no sweat. Work is also near the trolley line, so if traffic is really bad, we could park on the Mexican side and catch a trolley to work if we have to.

JESSE - 6-15-2004 at 02:34 PM

You can find a one bedroom in Playas for 250 no problema.

whodat54321 - 6-20-2004 at 03:10 PM

Quote:

Thanks again for the info. Found this map in a deep google search. Shows the way clearly.

http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~irsc/atlas/maps/map6.pdf

Not Necessarily Playas...

Smugla - 8-25-2004 at 08:14 AM

This may be too late for whodat....there are other less expensive areas in TJ that are close to the border....My challenge with Playas is unless you are prepared to live in far from the the one road out it is difficult to find a 250 dollar place....also in Playas the payment of rental commission has become way too common as well as deposits for water and electric...here is the main rub...if you are a single male gringo commuting frequently to the border..i.e. work...you will be molested on a regular basis by the police..the younger you are and the type of car you drive will even increase your chances...I have spent a lot of time in Playas paying my cable and visiting friends....when traveling solo and driving a luxury car...I am practically screaming mordita!

The areas I reccomend as being less expensive,safe and convenient to the border ..with less police hassle is Mirador, Aleman, or Soler...one bedrooms are harder to find but rent will be about 200 ...and rarely paying a commission.

To get to Soler ..you take the highway for Rosarito after crossing border and follow along border for about two miles or so...you will see a sign for Soler to your left..follow that and come up to the second stop sign..you will see a hotel Villa Santiago on your left...go right at stop sign past Smart and Final store and past Carls Jr. and staying straight you will be on Calle Culiacan...start to look around for rent signs or signs that say Dept.

Soler has the appearance of a lower middle class urban neighborhood...it is quite safe..yet with less of a presence of molesting police....one challenge is that all areas close to the water have a mold problem as moist buildings in TJ are constructed with concrete block which is porous like a sponge...try to find a place with direct sunlight ..hotter but no mold

When getting a place try and obtain an apt without a lease...it is getting harder to find but some contracts state if you are late with rent they will have the right to take your furniture...I have never seen this happen but who knows?

Dont worry if you dont have a lease for rent control.. I have never had a landlord jack the rent...if you pay on time they want you to stay

One hassle to renting in TJ is utilities...oh and also most apartments do not come with stoves and refrig...buying and setting up bottle gas is fun...you flag down a gas truck..ever present by the way...then negotiate for the the first tank..about 80 bucks including gas..afterwards about 35 bucks every two or three months depending how honest your gas guy is...when they refill they tend to half fill....I had one neighbor in frustration go and buy the refill direct...and then didnt connect it correctly and lost all his gas thru a leak!

I will touch on getting a phone another time

I am having problems replying to posts ..so trying this as a way to get thru...to answer your question ..yes it is fracc. Soler

[Edited on 8-25-2004 by Smugla]

wow this old thread again...

whodat54321 - 8-25-2004 at 08:37 AM

well smugla, I'm not moving yet. maybe in the winter. still other areas i need to check out.

I never get hassled down there. I am an older guy (40), as well as my roommate (44), and my car is an old 85 beater, which doesn't draw attention to itself.

I am well aware of what amenities do NOT come with apartments there. A cooler with ice lasts a long time indoors until I can buy a fridge, and my portable campstove runs on bottle gas and can more than get the job done. Deep cycle marine batteries and a decent inverter keep the computer running, so I can not suffer too badly the first month or two. Prepaid cellular service is also easy to get for a phone.

As for getting the utilities started, that's the start of getting to know the locals. They are in the know, and getting off the ground will be a gradual process for me. I don't mind paying commissions, but at the same time, there isn't the shortage of housing in TJ that exists in San Diego, so deals can be worked on. As a commuter, my income should be adequate to make the bills and have money left over.

Haven't yet checked Soler. Have a comprehensive TJ map and will give it a look next trip in. I am assuming you are referring to Fracc. Soler, near the graveyard, as calle 2A comes up the hill leaving downtown.