As I walked through the hotel lobby, the weight of the three hundred $100 bills sewn to the waist band of my Jockey shorts pulled my underpants down over my small rear. The money was hanging at my knee... read more

"How can I obtain a capital gains, or homestead, tax exemption on the sale of my Mexican real estate?" is one of the most frequently asked questions by expatriate residents of San Miguel when they cont... read more

Like many a traveller, you've come to Puerto Vallarta, let's say from from Portland, Oregon, looking for an escape from the cold and the office. A little romance in a tropical paradise would be nice to... read more

We passed through the Mexican customs station just south of the Laredo border crossing at 5:30 a.m. It was still dark. The car was crammed with things we were going to need before our major shipment of... read more

It is there above us, protecting us from the sun, the wind and the rain however; generally we are not worried about our roofs until we see water leaking through it. Typically, roofs he... read more

For the average new homebuyer, there is nothing more horrifying than the thought of buying a home with a septic system. This hidden, underground system seems to conjure up thoughts of backyards flooded... read more

Ever considered the base on which your house is sitting. Yes, there is a foundation between you and the surrounding soils. In general there are stone foundations bound with mortar mixture to help keep ... read more

As I write this month's article, I am sitting beside a wood stove in a cabin by a frozen lake in Ontario. So this article's topic becomes very tangible and important, especially because I want to keep ... read more

The objective of writing this column is to act independently and discuss the typical property ownership/maintenance issues and real estate concerns for existing and perspective homeowners here at Lake ... read more

Last month’s article stirred up some questions from some homeowners that I thought we could address in this month’s issue. Aljibes (underground water cisterns) are a critical link it each homeowne... read more

For many newcomers, the water distribution systems here in Mexico are different from water supply they are used to in the rest of North America. In the case of a typical home in Canada or the USA, the... read more

The houses here are distinctly different to those where you come from and, on top of that, the person(s) constructing your house are speaking another language.

read more

It seems last month's article regarding our electrical bills touched a lot of people here in my reading audience. Thank you for you kind comments and questions. I wanted to expand a little more regardi... read more

An important factor is the condition of the house. This relates back to the general appearance of the home and those important first impressions.   With this month's edition I want to touch on some ... read more

We see them in just about every house here at Lake Chapala. Sometimes they are humming and others quietly sit in a corner, showing a little light on. But all are on guard, protecting our electronic dev... read more

Salitre is the Spanish term commonly used for masonry “efflorescence.” Salitre is the white powdery stain that forms on the surface of bricks and concrete and can cause the stucco or paint o... read more

No, this is not an article about an additive drug, a quick glib joke or that exposed skin area of the refrigerator repairman's lower back, as he crouches down in front of you. This article is about mas... read more

The average sale price between 2003 and 2006 increased by approximately 69%. Yes, the majority of my work involves inspections of homes, however there is a large amount of consulting regarding real es... read more

After studying many homes here at Lake Chapala, it is interesting to learn to how much electricity each home uses and, more interesting, how much the home owner is paying for their electricity. Electr... read more

There is a way to protect yourself from currency fluctuations that may increase the cost of your property. The worldwide foreign exchange market is huge, with average daily turnover totaling approxima... read more

Who would have thought that buying a house in Mexico would be such a scandal? Maybe it should have occurred to me beforehand that I would encounter some very unusual problems while trying to acquire pr... read more

This is the story about Jeanine Lee Kitchel and her husband, Paul, who made their first trip to the Yucatan Peninsula in 1985 and fell in love instantly with the place. They had visited various parts of Mexico before that and were quite taken with the country. But the Yucatan beaches were of a different order. It seems that almost from the very start they determined that they would like to build a house and live there. read more

These six wonderful books hit a real soft spot because I'm an ardent admirer of Mexican creativity as it exhibits itself so lavishly in art, architecture, the design of everyday objects and the bold approach to color. And I particularly enjoy good photographic books, which these essentially are. read more

I'm filled with admiration and respect for The Insider's Guide. Its 368 pages are so complete and comprehensive and so well thought out and so well organized. Teresa Kendrick and her colleagues have done a wonderful job of providing and packaging a full authoritative range of information, not only for long and short-term residents of the Lake Chapala area but also for those many people who seem to be contemplating coming here either to live as permanent retiree-residents or as snowbirds. read more

Don Adams and his collaborators have produced a guide that's aimed directly at those people up north who are contemplating coming here, either permanently or for lengthy annual visits. The resulting volume is, in my opinion, a real winner. The various chapters are divided into topics such as putting your financial affairs in order and arranging for transfers of money.... read more